Jonathan endorses NJC’s retirement of Justice Archibong

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday approved the recommendation of the National Judicial Council (NJC) on the compulsory retirement of Justice Charles Archibong with immediate effect over alleged misconduct. The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke (SAN), disclosed this to State House correspondents.
He said the action was a demonstration of the President’s belief that once the judiciary is cleansed of corruption, only then will the fight against graft take a firm root and be successful. Adoke said: “This is to inform you that President Goodluck Jonathan is in receipt of a recommendation from the National Judicial Council recommending the compulsory retirement of Justice Charles Archibong and Mr. President has approved that it should take immediate effect.

“It is Mr. President’s belief that once we are able to cleanse the judiciary of corruption, then our fight against corruption in its entirety will take a firm root and will be on its way to success,” he said. The NJC had last Thursday axed two High Court judges and recommended them for compulsory retirement over alleged professional misconduct.
They are Justice Archibong of the Federal High Court, Lagos and Justice T.D. Naron of the High Court of Justice, Plateau State. Archibong, who presided over the case involving former MD/CEO, Intercontinental Bank, now Access Bank, Mr. Erastus Akingbola while Justice Naron allegedly ‘soiled’ his hands over the ruling he led three other judges to deliver in an election petition tribunal in Osun State, following the controversial 2007 polls. The ruling removed Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola as governor.
NJC said in the exercise of its disciplinary powers under the 1999 Constitution as amended, it had suspended the two judges from office with immediate effect. It has also set up a fact-finding committee to investigate the allegations leveled against Justice Abubakar Talba of FCT High Court in the Police Pension case filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) vs John Yakubu Yusuf & Others.
Justice Talba this month handed down a two-year sentence to pension thief, Yusufu or a fine of N750,000 which attracted public outcry. The NJC’s sanction was announced in a statement signed by the Acting Director, Information, Mr. Soji Oye, which said that the two judges have been recommended for retirement. “The National Judicial Council under the Chairmanship of the Hon. Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, GCON, at its emergency meeting which was held on 20th February, 2013 recommended the compulsory retirement of Hon. Justice C. E. Archibong of the Federal High Court, Lagos and Hon. Justice T.D. Naron of High Court of Justice, Plateau State,” the statement said.
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