Real reason I rejected appointment in anti-graft monitoring committee

Real reason I rejected appointment in anti-graft monitoring committee – Justice Salami

A former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami (retd.), yesterday revealed the reason he rejected the appointment as the Chairman of the Anti-Corruption Cases Trial Monitoring Committee set up by the National Judicial Council.

According to him, the appointment was not in his interest.

He denied reports that earlier suggested he turned down the appointment because of some persons included as members of the committee.

Salami also said the NJC and the courts abandoned him during his trying time while making a veiled reference to the former President Goodluck Jonathan administration’s refusal to reinstate him as the President of the Court of Appeal despite NJC’s recommendation that he should be returned to office.

“I rejected the appointment because it is not in my interest”, he told PUNCH newspaper.

When pressed further to elaborate on ‘not being in his interest’ he said, “It is because I don’t need it”.

When told that it was reported that his rejection of the appointment was because of some persons appointed to work with him as members of the committee, Salami said “It is not; I don’t just feel like doing it. it is not because of anybody.”

When reminded that the judiciary needs his help to remove the obstacles hindering successful prosecution of high profile corruption cases, Salami queried, “Where was the judiciary when they were harassing me? Where was the court when they were harassing me?”

……… Don’t forget to like The Drum Online Facebook page and always visit www.thedrumonline.blogspot.com for your news updates.