The PUNCH had reported that the justices of the apex court, in a joint petition, accused the CJN of poor welfare, among other ill-treatment being meted out to them.
In the leaked petition, the 14 justices of the apex court had accused the CJN of abandoning his responsibilities and diverting funds meant for the running of the Supreme Court.
However, the CJN denied the allegations noting that the Supreme Court justices were provided with SUV vehicles, cars, and accommodation.
“Accommodations are being gradually provided for the few that are yet to get. There is none of the apex court justices without SUV and backup cars. If any of them were purchased but refurbished, the external and internal auditors are here in the court to take those that bought them up over it,” the CJN said in a statement released by his Senior Special Assistant (Media), Ahuraka Isah.
In a separate interview with our correspondent, a former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ikeja Branch, Lagos State, Dr. Monday Ubani, condemned the alleged ill-treatment of the justices of the Supreme Court, saying that the issue should not even be allowed to escalate beyond what was currently being discussed.
“I don’t know how true those allegations are, but if they are found true, they should be addressed.
“The issues need to be addressed, I won’t like the issues to go beyond where it is. The Supreme Court is such an important arm of the judiciary, that is the highest court in Nigeria.”
Speaking on the implications of the allegations by the justices, Ubani maintained that there was no doubt that the poor welfare of the justices would affect the delivery of the judiciary.
“It will affect everything about the judiciary. If they are not happy, it will affect their output, that is the truth. If they don’t have the Internet services and don’t have adequate access to light and all those things raised, it will affect them. They will not be able to perform optimally.”
“They need those things to make their job easier.”
Speaking on what must be done, Ubani advised the CJN to convene a meeting with the aggrieved justices, noting that it was not a matter of a lower court (the High Court or Appeal Court), and should be addressed.
“Let them pay all their allowances and all the entitlements which they deserve. They need all those things to make their job easy and perform optimally.
“The stakeholders should be called together, the CJN, the Nigerian Bar Association, and all stakeholders should meet,” Dr. Ubani said.
Also, author and activist lawyer, Richard Akinnola Jnr, said the justices of the Supreme Court must have been pushed to the wall before they could come out on such issues, asking the CJN to immediately rise to tackle the issues raised by the justices.
“I just read the protest letter of the Supreme Court justices to the CJN. I sympathise with them as their demands are appropriate and legitimate. For a set of people who are usually taciturn and reticent on issues outside their immediate judicial responsibilities, resorting to this unusual mode of a protest letter, shows the justices’ back must have been pushed to the wall. l think the CJN must immediately rise to the occasion and address these legitimate demands as they go to the root of the administration of justice,” Akinola said.
