BY TONY EDIKE

ENUGU—AN Enugu-based lawyer, Chief Tagbo Ike, yesterday, said  the suspension of President of Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, has brought to the fore the imperfection of the law that empowers one man to constitute the National Judicial Council, NJC,  and called for urgent constitutional amendment to check the excessive powers of the Chief Justice  of Nigeria.

Ike noted in a statement that rather than suspending Justice Salami, President Goodluck Jonathan ought to have risen above partisan persuasions and show statesmanship by saving Salami “from the grip of these conspirators, not minding that the Presidential Election Tribunal which he heads had declined Mr. President’s request to strike out the opposition’s petition against him on technical ground.”

He said: “The outlandishness of NJC’s latest decision on Salami had jolted not only the Bar and the Bench but the generality of  the Nigerian public who had hitherto perceived the council as always proffering balm whenever things went awry in the judiciary.

“Feeling of disappointment in NJC’s decision on Justice Salami is palpable, and has thrown up vexed questions.  Why has the council failed to live up to expectation under Justice Katsina-Alu’s watch? Why has the supposed conscience of the nation’s judiciary decided to desecrate and sacrifice the age-long practice of untouchability of matters pending in court known as the rule of lis pendens?