The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) has commended the National Judicial Council (NJC) for the sack of Justices Thomas Naron and Charles Archibong.
The NJC on Wednesday, in a meeting presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mariam Aloma Mukhtar, recommended compulsory retirement of the two judges on ethical grounds.
Justice Naron was investigated by the NJC for the controversial judgment he led three other judges to give at the first election petition tribunal in Osun State after the 2007 elections.
Executive Chairman, Debo Adeniran lauded the NJC for taking a giant stride to rid the bench of the bad eggs and restore the hope of the common man in the judiciary.
“This is a giant stride by the NJC to rid our bench of the bad eggs. It is a welcome development that the NJC is now waking up to its responsibilities. The sack of Justice Naron and his colleague will go a long way to restore the hope of the masses in the judiciary.
“It is however worthy of note that these two judges are not the only ones delivering kangaroo judgment, the NJC should beam its searchlight on other judges who have become compromised and flush them out of the bench, if we must win war against electoral and other forms of corruption in the country,”Adeniran stated.
Also speaking, Lagos lawyer Femi Falana said the step by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, will restore confidence in the Judiciary.
Falana noted that Muktar deserves more commendation “having regard to the fact that the petition against Justice Naaron was lodged with the NJC in 2007”.
The human rights activist praised the courage to determine the matter in spite of the desperate moves of certain powerful forces to cover up the judicial scandal.
“No doubt, these actions are in line with the undertaking made to Nigerians during the screening of the Honourable Justice Muktar before the Senate.”
“We therefore call on President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Jonah Jang to approve the retirement of Justice Archibong and Justice Naaron respectively as recommended by the NJC,” he added.
The NJC in its recommendation also advised the Nigerian Bar Association to discipline a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Kunle Kalejaiye.
He was indicted along with Justice Naron in the perversion of justice before the defunct Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.
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