Inibehe Effiong Reacts To CJN Muhammad’s Resignation

Human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong has reacted to the news that Justice Tanko Muhammad resigned as the Chief Justice of Nigeria.

Naija News reported earlier that Justice Muhammad tendered his resignation letter on Sunday, declaring the top judicial seat vacant.

It was learned that Muhammad resigned from the position over health issues.

Subsequent reports on Monday, however, revealed that President Muhammadu Buhari would swear in the next most senior justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola as the acting CJN today.

The developments are coming days after 14 justices of the Supreme Court wrote a letter to the CJN over the decrepit state of affairs in the court. In a leaked memo, the judges stated that the budget allocated to the judiciary has not increased in the past four years.

The justices of the Apex Court revealed that they decided to write Justice Tanko in a bid to preserve the dignity of the Judiciary.

Reacting, however, via his microblogging platform on Monday, Effiong stated the letter by 14 Justices of the Supreme Court was the reason that led to Justice Muhammad’s resignation.

He expressed hope that the retirement of Muhammad and the expected emergence of Justice Ariwoola will brighten the public’s confidence in the Apex Court.

The human rights lawyer also hopes that Justice Ariwoola will have the courage to do what is right at all times.

He wrote: “The next most senior Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, will be sworn in as the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria pending Senate confirmation.

“We hope that the retirement of Justice Tanko Muhammad and the emergence of Justice Ariwoola will brighten public confidence in the Apex Court. The letter by 14 Justices was a Vote of No Confidence on Justice Tanko. I wish Justice Ariwoola the courage to do what is right at all times.“