Group Protests Over Alleged Abuse Of Office By CJN, Calls For His Immediate Resignation

A civil rights group, Civil Society Consortium on Judicial Accountability (CSCJA), Tuesday, embarked on a protest over alleged abuse of office and favouritism by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.

According to the group, the CJN breached Rule 11 (iv) and other extant provisions of the Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers, when he appointed his son, Olukayode Ariwoola Jr as a Judge of the Federal High Court and nominated his daughter, Oluwakemi Victoria Ariwoola as a Judge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court.

The group, during the protest in Abuja on Thursday demanded the immediate resignation of the CJN in order to maintain the integrity of the judicial system.

The group members, who carried placards with various inscriptions such as, ‘CJN should resign now’, ‘Stop Judicial Rascality’, ‘Say No To Nepotism’, and ‘Judicial Accountability is a Must’, alleged that the CJN conferred undue advantages on his family members through his position as chairman of the National Judicial Council (NJC), chairman of the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC), amongst others.

The protesters told journalists in Abuja that their demand for the resignation of the CJN underscored the importance of judicial accountability and impartiality in maintaining the integrity and trustworthiness of the legal system.

According to the coordinator of the group, Mr Martin Obono, the CJN presided over the 103rd meeting of the NJC that recommended Olukayode Ariwoola Jr. for appointment as a Judge of the Federal High Court.