Former CJN, Tanko’s Children Reportedly Refuse To Vacate Supreme Court Quarters For Successor, CJN, Ariwoola 9 Months After Resignation

Immediate past Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Tanko Muhammad, has reportedly refused to vacate the Supreme Court quarters nine months after his resignation, thereby denying his successor, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola access to the apartment, The Gazette reports.

The Gazette quoted Sources in the Judiciary to have said that rather than vacate the quarters within six months after his resignation as required by the law, Justice Tanko relocated to his private apartment, in Kaduna, leaving his children in the official residence of the CJN, in Abuja.

“The CJN, Hon Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, is still living in his residence, which has become untidy and congested, but he couldn’t evict Tanko’s children,” a source familiar with the matter told The Gazette on the telephone.

On June 22, 2022, Mr. Tanko, the 16th chief justice of the apex court resigned, citing ill health grounds.

The resignation of the National Judicial Council chairman came less than a week after this outlet exclusively reported how 14 justices of the apex court accused him of corruption, gross misconduct and failure to prioritise their welfare and address issues.

Subsequently, Justice Ariwoola, a Supreme Court Judge since November 22, 2011, was appointed as acting CJN on June 27 and sworn in on October 12 at the council chamber of the State House, Abuja, by President Muhammadu Buhari.

But since his swearing-in, the new CJN, Justice Ariwoola has yet to move into the CJN quarters, as Justice Tanko failed to formally vacate the premises for unclear reasons.

Within six months after his resignation, the former CJN, who would have retired after the mandatory age of 70 years on December 31, 2023, was entitled to a rented apartment and a financial package before getting a retirement home.

But sources in the judiciary told The Gazette that Justice Tanko asked his children to liaise with the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) on getting him the apartment.

“They took the children to more than five houses in Abuja for them to select or choose for their father, but they all declined, preferring to remain in the official residence of the CJN,” a source said.

The source added, “Since Tanko has not left the official residence officially, the Supreme Court continue to pay all the utility bills, including daily fueling of diesel generators with taxpayer’s money.”

The development was said to have led to a financial burden on the FJSC, having to maintain both the official apartment and that of Mr. Ariwoola.

However, the source disclosed that moves to ensure Mr. Tanko’s children vacate the apartment were ongoing as the apex court’s chief registrar, Sarki Bello, travelled to Kaduna on Wednesday to plead with the former CJN.

Mr. Tanko and the spokesperson for the NJC, Soji Oye, did not return the request seeking comments on the matter.

Meanwhile, shortly after his resignation, the Nigerian Senate insisted that it would investigate the allegations against Mr Tanko despite his resignation from the judiciary.

This was a sequel to a motion moved by the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters chairman, Opeyemi Bamidele (APC-Ekiti).

“Even though Muhammad has stepped down as CJN, most of the issues raised by the Justices of the Supreme Court and other stakeholders within the judiciary remain and need to be addressed urgently to prevent an eventual shut-down of the Judiciary,” the senator said.