Confusion
persisted on Monday over the decision of the National Judicial Council
to reinstate the suspended President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo
Salami, more than a week after President Goodluck Jonathan was
reportedly asked to approve his return to office.
This came as the Action Congress of
Nigeria, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai
Mohammed, berated President Goodluck Jonathan for delaying Salami’s
reinstatement.
The party said the President was sending wrong signals on his administration’s commitment to the rule of law.
The NJC had recommended Salami’s recall on Thursday after suspending him nine months ago.
However, the decision, which was hailed as a move would halt the crisis in the judiciary, has only created further confusion.
The confusion largely concerns the fate of
the recommendation letter sent to the President, asking him to approve
Salami’s reinstatement.
A highly-placed official in the NJC said the letter of reinstatement was sent to the President on Monday, May 11.
The official told one of our correspondents that the letter got to the President’s table on Monday, May 14.
However, the Presidency has continued to claim that it has not received the letter.
The NJC did not issue any statement to
announce its decision to reinstate Salami and its spokesman, Mr. Soji
Oye, has not spoken officially on the development.
According counsel for Salami, Chief Akin
Olujimi, the suspended PCA has yet to receive any letter from the NJC
concerning the council’s decision to reinstate his client.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and
Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, deepened the crisis last
Wednesday when he denied knowledge of Salami’s reinstatement by the NJC.
The crisis was also deepened by two law suits that seek to stop Jonathan from approving Salami’s reinstatement.
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