The umbrella Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has named a panel to probe corruption allegations against the country’s top two judges, Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Aloysius Katsina-Alu and President of the Court of Appeal (PCA) Ayo Salami. The probe panel, chaired by a former NBA President Thompson Okpoko, is also mandated to look into the corruption that has allegedly pervaded the entire judicial system.
Nigeria’s judiciary has recently been embroiled in corruption allegations, after the PCA alleged that the CJN asked him to compromise justice in an election petition case.
The CJN has yet to comment on the allegation, which followed alleged moves by the CJN to ‘promote’ the PCA to the apex Supreme Court, a ploy critics said would allow the CJN to install his stooge at the Court of Appeal, which is the final court in all election petitions except that involving the presidency.
The PCA himself is under fire for allegedly exchanging texts and phone calls with members of the opposition Action Congress of Nigeria party, who recently won victories at the Court of Appeal in two governorship election petition cases at the expense of the ruling party.
The lower federal legislative chamber – House of Representatives – has also named a committee to investigate Salami’s allegation against the CJN.