by Stanley Azuakola

Justice Ayo Salami is tired of waiting for President Jonathan to ratify his reinstatement by the National Judicial Council (NJC) as President of the Court of Appeal. The embattled judge has therefore written directly to the National Judicial Council (NJC) to bypass the president and allow him resume work following its decision to lift his suspension.

A letter signed by his counsel, Chief Akinlolu Olujinmi (SAN), contended that Salami did not require the approval of President Goodluck Jonathan to resume work at the position from which he was suspended last year August.

The lawyer also responded to rumours alleging that Salami attended a meeting with some chieftains of the Action Congress of Nigeria and the Congress of Progressive Change. He called it a desperate ploy to tarnish the hard earned reputation of Justice Salami.

According to him: “The latest antics by those who are hell bent on running down Justice Salami, was the publication of 31st May in ThisDay, (an advertorial purportedly placed by the Lagos State Government.) It was absolutely a lie. There was never any meeting at which Salami was present and at which he made any such submission. He did not attend any meeting with the people listed in the publication.”

Olujinmi said Salami was amazed at the desperation of sponsors of the said publication and the extent they went to concoct such deliberate falsehood.

According to him, the folly of the sponsors of the publication was further ridiculed by the fact that Justice Salami will retire from the Court of Appeal bench in 2013 at the mandatory age of 70 years.

He said: “The question that then begs for an answer is how Justice Salami who leaves the Court of Appeal bench next year, can influence the political permutations purportedly being made for 2015?”