CJN reacts to alleged corruption, others

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Mohammad, has denied allegations raised against him by Supreme Court Justices.

The denial was contained in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant (Media), Ahuraka Isah, titled, ‘Re: State Of Affairs In The Supreme Court And Demand By Justices Of The Supreme Court’.

In an unprecedented petition, justices of the apex court had jointly accused the Chief Justice of Nigeria of corruption, maladministration and incompetence.

But the CJN said the apex court has been living up to its constitutional responsibility.

“When a budget is made, it contains two sides, that’s the recurrent and the capital, yet all the two are broken down into items. The Federal Government releases the budget based on the budget components. And it’s an offence to spend the money meant for one item for another,” the CJN said while reacting to the allegation of financial misappropriation of funds.

The CJN, who described responding to the petitions of the Supreme Court justices as “dancing naked at the market square”, lamented the effect of Nigeria’s economic situation on the apex court.

He said, “The Supreme Court definitely does not exist outside its environment, it is also affected by the economic and socio-political climate prevailing in the country. Besides that, the Apex Court has to a larger extent, been living to its constitutional responsibility.

When a budget is made, it contains two sides, that’s the recurrent and the capital, yet all the two are broken down into items. The Federal Government releases the budget based on the budget components. And it’s an offence to spend the money meant for one item for another.

“Take, for instance, the Supreme Court budgeted this year to re-roof and rehabilitate its complex built over 30 years ago and that is being done. The work on the extension of the complex is near completion, the esthetic lawns and cleanness of the perimeters are being well kept, and security and water supply are adequately provided for his brother Justices in their offices and residences. During the period of pandemic, a profound and extra-care was maintained to avoid causalities among them as well as the staff generally. It would have amounted to an act of irresponsibility to divert money meant for the above for otherwise.”

He also debunked an allegation that nothing was done to uplift the court, saying that the death of some justices affected the budget of the court.

Mohammad said, “Besides, two Supreme Court Justices died within the period under consideration. Both the four retirees and the two departed cost the court some funds in the forms of gratuities and allowances.

“Two weeks ago, eight Supreme Court Justices were nominated for a workshop in London as the court cannot take all of them there at once otherwise the job would suffer. They would be going in batches.”