The Senate on Tuesday said it would go ahead with its intervention in the controversy arising from the allegations levelled against the former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Tanko Muhammad, by some justices of the Supreme Court despite his resignation.
Justice Muhammad had on Sunday resigned as CJN, citing ill-health, while the second in the Supreme Court ranking, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, had been sworn in as the acting CJN.
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Fourteen aggrieved justices of the apex court in a widely circulated memo to the former CJN, accused him of neglecting their welfare, not carrying them along in managing the affairs of the court, the deteriorating condition of services, and the state of the litigation department.
But Justice Muhammad denied the allegations and condemned taking the issues to the public.
Following the feud, the Red Chamber last week, mandated its Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters led by Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti) to wade into the issue.
Despite Muhammad’s resignation, the Senate, after a motion by Bamidele on Tuesday, directed the committee to go ahead with its assignment in the quest to find a lasting solution to the matter.
It asked the committee to interact with relevant stakeholders to look into the complaints raised in the petition by the justices of the Supreme Court.
It also mandated its committee to interface with relevant stakeholders in the three arms of government as well as at the Bar and the Bench.
The Senate tasked the committee to collate views and positions on the short, medium and long-term measures needed to decisively address the crisis facing the judiciary.
The Senate, meanwhile, prayed for good health of Muhammad and wished him well after many years of meritorious service to the nation.
