*Says “We Actually Did All We Could Do To Frustrate The Military”
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A retiring Justice of the Supreme Court, Honourable Justice Ibrahim Saulawa, has cautioned politicians against attempting to sway judicial officers with what he described as “Greek gifts,” and has called on the Chief Justice of Nigeria to act against the practice of politicians sending livestock and other items to judges.
He spoke at a valedictory court session held in his honour by the apex court, on retiring from the bench on reaching the mandatory age of 70, after a 44-year journey in the legal profession.
“Why should a politician send a ram, cow or other items to a Supreme Court Justice? It is unheard of in other countries,” he said.
“I am calling on the CJN to do something about this. I once raised the issue. It is demeaning and equally frustrating.”
Urging judges across the federation to embrace a culture of integrity, honesty and morality, the retiring Justice recalled a case in which an influential person whom he later convicted had tried, before judgment was delivered, to influence him through intermediaries after he had declined the gift of a car.
“Prior to the case, the Alhaji had donated to me a brand new Peugeot motor vehicle, which I flatly rejected,” he said.
“He went to the extent of seeking the intervention of some prominent personalities, including the Emir, Alhaji Muhammadu Kabir Usman, the District Head, Alhaji Balan Goggo, et al., with a view to influencing me to accept the ‘Greek gift,’ but to no avail.”
He also disclosed that, while in service, he had turned down several invitations to social gatherings in order to safeguard his principles.
“But some of my learned friends are always there, even if they didn’t need to be there,” he noted.
Only six Senior Advocates of Nigeria and thirteen other lawyers attended the session, in contrast to similar ceremonies in the past which have drawn serving and former governors and other prominent figures.
A representative of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Mr. Damien Dodo, SAN, said he was embarrassed by the poor attendance, blaming it on miscommunication and saying it was not a reflection of the personality of the retiring Justice, who, he said, served the country “with granite integrity.”
Recalling the crisis that led to the annulment of the presidential election of 12 June 1993, the Justice said that, as Chief Registrar of the Court of Appeal at the time, he took steps to stem the tide of conflicting court orders which he said were orchestrated by the military.
He noted that while the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory issued two interim orders restraining the National Electoral Commission, then led by Professor Humphrey Nwosu, from conducting the presidential poll and from announcing the results, some state high courts issued conflicting orders directing that the results be announced.
Insisting that the legal confusion was masterminded by the military, he said he acted on the directive of the then President of the Court of Appeal, Honourable Justice M. Akanbi, by moving swiftly to Kaduna to take control of the appellate court’s registry.
“Appeals were filed at the Court of Appeal, Kaduna Division, by the NEC. As the Chief Registrar of the Court of Appeal, and the only spokesperson thereof, I flew from Lagos to Kaduna and took effective control of the Registry and supervised the registering of the appeals and the issuing of the appropriate court processes to the respective parties to the appeals,” he said.
“I equally issued a press release regarding the circumstances surrounding the two appeals and motions relating to it.”
“Later in the evening, I flew back to Lagos and briefed the PCA, Hon. Justice M. M. A. Akanbi, a man of unquestionable integrity and unwavering courage. Upon my advice, the Hon. PCA called for an emergency meeting of the Hon. Presiding Justices over the crisis.”
He said it was after every effort the military made to infiltrate the judiciary “was frustrated by myself and Justice Akanbi” that the then Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida, annulled the outcome of the contest on the excuse that he was saving “the judiciary from self-destruction.”
Faulting the military for the forum shopping which he said produced the conflicting orders, he insisted that the judiciary of that period deserved “a gold medal.”
“We actually did all we could do to frustrate the military,” he added.
In her address at the session, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Honourable Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, described him as “a man whose life has been defined by service,” and recalled an episode from the period when he served as Presiding Justice of the Port Harcourt Division of the Court of Appeal.
“There was, during that period, a particular moment which has remained with me, because of what it revealed about the values we both held dear,” she said.
“A situation arose which called for a clear and principled response to an attempt, however discreetly made, to place a matter of personal benefit in the path of judicial duty.”
“Without hesitation, we each took the position that the integrity of the judicial office admits of no compromise and that even the appearance of impropriety must be guarded against.”
“What followed was a quiet but unmistakable affirmation of a principle that needed no elaborate expression: that the honour of the judicial office is preserved not merely in our judgments from the Bench, but also in the choices we make when no judgment is being written.”
“I believe that moment deepened my appreciation of my Lord’s character and, in its own quiet way, helped to define the mutual respect and understanding that have characterised our relationship since,” she added.
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