The Supreme Court has said there is no protest letter by the justices of the country’s apex court against the chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola over his alleged comment on G-5 governors.
In its reaction to a report that the Department of State Services (DSS) invited the CJN over his comment on the crisis in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) with the activities of five governors of the party led by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, the Supreme Court said, “We have read with dismay and shock a publication with the above caption by an online media outfit, ‘People’s Gazette’, alleging that the chief justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, was grilled by the DSS for the remarks he made in ‘Port Harcourt at a state banquet’ and that ‘five justices of Supreme Court are calling for his resignation.”
In the statement signed yesterday by director of press and information, Dr Festus Akande, the apex court warned those peddling the rumours to desist from it in their own interests.
“Just like our earlier press statement debunking this barefaced falsehood and mischievous antics aimed at scoring very cheap and unpopular political gains in this era of aggressive and mudslinging politicking.
“We wish to state in very clear and unmistaken terms, that this is yet another round of the avalanche of lies that have been disingenuously packaged by individuals with unenviable pedigree to malign the character and personality of not just the CJN but several other Judicial Officers that they considered to be too unpliable and principled to be approached for any form of underhand dealings, especially as election cases (petitions) will soon be streaming to the tribunals (courts) for adjudication.
“It has become very obvious that those with sinister motives have perfected plans to unleash all manner of coordinated attacks on Judicial Officers, starting from the CJN with a view to arm-twisting and blackmailing and ridiculing them to silence, ultimately for their ulterior motives.
