Emerging indications indicate that political and institutional actors are lobbying President Bola Tinubu to participate in the ongoing investigation of Justice John Tsoho, Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Abuja. This has caused alarm at CHRICED, the Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education.
Accusations that Justice Tsoho did not disclose specific assets as mandated by law are reportedly being investigated by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).
According to the same sources, powerful people in the presidential administration are trying to get the probe slowed down, delayed, or diluted.
According to CHRICED, these changes should serve as warning signs of possible unfair interference in a procedure that should be subject only to the rule of law, openness, and due process.
The non-negotiable independence of Nigeria’s anti-corruption and accountability institutions was emphasised once again by CHRICED.
The executive director, Comrade Dr. Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi, issued a statement stating that any effort to hinder the authorised operations of the Code of Conduct Bureau, whether by direct or indirect means, would weaken public faith in the nation’s system of government and the rule of law.
The purpose of asset reporting legislation is to encourage openness and responsibility among government agencies. Every public official, regardless of rank or power, must be subject to these rules in the same way.
It should be remembered that Justice Walter Onnoghen, the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, was removed from office in 2019 during the administration of the late President Muhammadu Buhari due to his inability to declare his assets as required by law.
The notion that certain people are above the law would be dangerously conveyed if we let anyone avoid investigation. The judiciary, in its role as protector of justice, ought to be revered for its unwavering honesty and moral rectitude.
A leader who demonstrates accountability and ethics must be the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, since his or her court decides on some of the most delicate political and economic issues facing the country.
Ensuring that the inquiry moves forward openly, professionally, and without interference is the most effective way to protect the judiciary’s reputation at this crucial moment.
“Any interference by the executive branch in this investigation could undermine the present administration’s anti-corruption credentials and pave the way for further political meddling in investigations involving public officials.”
While CHRICED did state that all citizens, including judges, have the right to a presumption of innocence, they did note that this concept does not absolve them of the need to investigate claims of wrongdoing in a fair and open manner.
In addition, the statement urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to refrain from interfering in the ongoing investigation and to grant the Code of Conduct Bureau the independence and impartiality it needs to fulfil its statutory duty.
It strongly encouraged the National Judicial Council, NJC, to handle this problem in a way that enhances, not undermines, the judiciary’s integrity.
Public trust in the judicial system has plummeted to record lows due to extensive corruption claims, which the NJC must face, the statement continued.