Tanko Mohammed Resigns from the Office of CJN
The 17th Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Mohammed has resigned. The resignation was made public on Monday.
He was sworn in by President Mohammadu Buhari in January 2019 after the suspension and later sack of former CJN Walter Onnoghen.
It is believed that the next CJN will be Justice Olukayode Ariwoola being the next most senior judge to Justice Mohammed following Justice Mary Odili retirement on May 12 after a reaching the retirement age of 70.
According to the Punch, Ahuraka Yusaf Isah, the Special Assistant on Media and Communication to the CJN confirmed the news.
Although, the reasons for his resignation are unknown, Tanko resigned after he was accused of mismanagement of funds by 14 justices of the supreme court.
It was reported earlier that 14 justices of the apex court in a joint petition, accused the CJN of poor welfare, among other ill treatment they receive. This has never happened in the Nigerian Judicial history.
In the leaked petition, the CJN was accused of abandoning his responsibility and turned aside funds meant for running of the supreme court.
But Tanko denied the accusations in a statement by his aide titled, ‘Re: State Of Affairs In The Supreme Court And Demand By Justices Of The Supreme Court.’
He explained that the supreme court provided the justice with SUVs and accommodation.
Part of the statement read: “Accommodations are being gradually provided for the few that are yet to get. There is none of the Apex Court Justices without SUV and backup cars. If any of them were purchased but refurbished, the external and internal auditors are here in the court to take those that bought them up over it.”
On the part of the allegation that said no electricity in the courtroom, the statement read, “The high cost of electricity tariff and diesel is a national problem. The Chief Registrar might have budgeted for N300 per litre but diesel is now selling for over N700 per litre and therefore has to find a way around it without even bringing it to the attention of the CJN. But there is no way the generator would be put off if the Court is sitting.”
“The amendment of court rules is in the process, it has to be critically reviewed to avoid conflict with the constitution and other extant laws. Not all the CJNs have reviewed the rules in the past…”
Reacting to this, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, a civil rights advocacy group, in an interview with the Punch newspaper demanded that the National Judicial Council and the Code of Conduct Tribunal should Investigate the corruption allegations levelled against Tanko.