By CHRIS OCHAYI
ABUJA—The altercations over the promotion of President of Appeal Court, Justice Ayo Salami, to the Supreme Court yesterday attracted more reactions with the registered opposition political parties condemning the planned elevation by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu, which they described as an unholy offer.

The parties alleged that the trumped-up appointment was a grand design to rig through the judiciary litigations that might arise from the forthcoming general elections, hence the prelude to appointment of a pliable President of Appeal Court who will be a rubber stamp to the Chief Justice of Nigeria.

Operating under the umbrella body of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP, the parties said the appointment was unsolicited and, therefore, commended Justice Salami for his instant rejection.

The CNPP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, called on the National Judicial Council to cancel the appointment and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon Justice Aloysius Kastina-Alu, to rescind the order before he plunged Nigeria into a constitutional crisis.

CNPP said: “We view the trumped-up appointment as orchestra of rigging and prelude to appointment of a pliable President of Appeal Court who will be a rubber stamp to the Chief Justice of Nigeria.

“We salute Justice Ayo Salami and stand by his outright rejection of the offer, not only because of the unethical manner of the appointment, as he was neither consulted nor the matter listed in the agenda of the Federal Judicial Service Commission, but on the truism that it is clearly politically motivated and simulated by President Goodluck Jonathan and his journey men who view Justice Salami as an obstacle in the April 2011 post electoral petitions.

“We recall how the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon Justice Aloysius Kastina-Alu, ignobly descended into the arena and unceremoniously halted the Sokoto State governorship election petition judgment ready for delivery at the Appeal Court.

“On the issue of judgments delivered by the Appeal Court recently being against the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, we wish to state that out of over 100 cases, including presidential election petitions, that it is only five governorship and few parliamentary seats that were won in the Appeal Court by APGA, Labour Party and Action Congress, while PDP won the remaining cases since 2003 elections.

“CNPP agrees with Justice Ayo Salami that the environment is already over-heated and in a state of flux. Consequently, Nigerians will frown on anybody or group of persons who out of personal interest manipulates the judiciary to achieve predetermined results.”