A former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Isa Ayo Salami (retd.), has said that the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, should not have been allowed to contest the poll.
Salami attributed what he described as legal inconsistencies in some political cases to incompetence among certain members of the judiciary.
The retired jurist made the remarks on Tuesday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, during a courtesy visit by officials of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ), who presented him with an award at his residence.
Speaking at the event, Salami expressed concern about the quality of some judicial appointments, noting that some judges lacked the required background and experience for the bench.
According to him, weaknesses in the judicial system have led to controversial decisions in some election-related cases.
“For instance, Peter Obi ought not to have been allowed to contest the 2023 presidential election,” Salami said.
He argued that after Obi lost the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential primary, the Labour Party had already submitted its membership register to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Obi, however, left the PDP long before its primary election, and didn't lose the primary as he claimed.
Salami noted that the Constitution does not recognise independent candidacy, raising questions about Obi’s eligibility to run under the Labour Party platform at the time.
Salami also cited the case of Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf, claiming that a similar issue arose regarding his membership status before contesting the election under the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
He criticised the process of judicial promotion, alleging that appointments to higher courts are sometimes influenced by zoning considerations rather than merit.
“People get to the Supreme Court not necessarily because they are the best but because there is a vacancy from their zone,” he said.
The former appellate court president added that some judges who joined the Court of Appeal years after him were eventually elevated to the Supreme Court ahead of more experienced colleagues due to such considerations.
He also lamented what he described as declining standards in the legal profession, linking it partly to the growing number of law faculties in universities.
According to him, the expansion has contributed to the production of lawyers who may lack the depth required for judicial responsibilities.
Salami, however, commended the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism for recognising his contributions to the judiciary.
“I am very happy to receive this award and I hope your organisation will continue to grow and flourish,” he said.
He also disclosed that Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka influenced his views on national issues, while the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo inspired his decision to study law.
Salami recalled that Awolowo’s decision to defend himself during his treasonable felony trial, after the government reportedly prevented his foreign counsel from entering Nigeria, motivated him to pursue a legal career.
“I felt that if I went into politics and found myself in a similar situation, I should be able to defend myself,” he said.
Leave a Reply