DSS did not interrogate CJN – Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has dismissed insinuations that the Department of State Service (DSS) interrogated the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola over alleged pro-G5 governors comment.

An online medium (not Daily Trust) had reported that Justice Ariwoola was grilled by the DSS over the remark he made that he was happy his state governor, Seyi Makinde, was part of the G5 governors, also known as the Integrity Group, during a state banquet in his honour by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.

The online medium also claimed that five justices of the Supreme Court were calling for the CJN’s resignation.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Director of Information of the Supreme Court, Dr Festus Akande said the publication, “which was laced with tissues of lies, non-existent sources of information and unsubstantiated claims, clearly showed the unwholesome intentions of the authors.”

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“Just like our earlier press statement debunking this barefaced falsehood and mischievous antics aimed at scoring very cheap and unpopular political gains in this era of aggressive and mudslinging politicking, we wish to state in very clear and unmistaken terms, that this is yet another round of the avalanche of lies that have been disingenuously packaged by individuals with unenviable pedigree to malign the character and personality of not just the CJN but several other judicial officers that they considered to be too unpliable and principled to be approached for any form of underhand dealings, especially as election cases (petitions) will soon be streaming to the tribunals (courts) for adjudication,” Akande said.

“It has become very obvious that those with sinister motives have perfected plans to unleash all manner of coordinated attacks on judicial officers, starting from the CJN with a view to arm-twisting and blackmailing and ridiculing them to silence, ultimately for their ulterior motives.

“For sure, it will only take an undiscerning mind to believe this string of falsehood, misinformation and blackmail.

“Nigerians are much wiser to fall for this armchair criticism and disingenuous sponsorships of paid crowds who masquerade as ‘civil society organizations’ to help them further their inordinate ambition of gagging and fettering the Nigerian Judiciary so that they could cowardly do their biddings.”

The apex court also denied that five justices are calling for the CJN’s resignation.

“The Supreme Court Justices are united and firmly behind the CJN; and are, as usual, all working assiduously to dispense justice without fear or favour,” he said.

“Neither the CJN nor the Honourable Justices of the Supreme Court or other Courts for that matter, are politicians, so, none of them should be dragged into politics in any form whatsoever.”