Joint Action for Democracy (JAD), a coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs), has called on the National Judicial Council (NJC), to probe some judgments and exparte orders on the lingering political crisis in Rivers State, to save the nation’s judiciary, as the legal community must unite against practices threatening the rule of law and judicial independence. JAD, at a press conference in Abuja, yesterday, also demanded that the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, as well as Justices Peter Lifu and James Omotosho, should recuse themselves from all cases involving political actors in the state. National Coordinator of the coalition, High Chief Peter Ameh, who read the text of the press conference, stated that investigating the judgments is important to preserve the integrity and image of the judiciary as an institution dedicated to justice.
According to him, some of the judgments raised serious questions about judicial impartiality and adherence to legal standards. “Nigerians still remember with ignominy the decision of an enemy of democracy, Justice Bassey Ikpeme, who, on June 10, 1993, and in a similar fashion as we see today, delivered the order that truncated democracy in Nigeria and led to the nullifying of 1993 presidential election,” Ameh noted. He advised that the continuous issuance of exparte rulings that allegedly contravened established judicial precedents and constitutional provisions should not be tolerated.
“The legal commun.
