- The former Appeal Court President, Justice Isa Salami, said that Peter Obi was not qualified to contest the 2023 presidential election under the Labour Party Nigeria
- He argued that Obi’s candidacy contradicted constitutional provisions against independent candidacy
- Salami criticised judicial competence, blaming some controversial rulings on inadequate training and experience among judges
- He also raised concerns about judicial appointments, citing quota-based elevation to the Supreme Court over merit
Former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Isa Salami, has said that former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, should not have been allowed to contest in the 2023 presidential election under the Labour Party Nigeria.
Speaking on Tuesday, March 24, in Ilorin during a courtesy visit by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, the retired jurist also criticised what he described as incompetence among some judges, which he said contributes to flawed judicial decisions.
Justice Salami made the remarks while receiving an award presented by the Centre’s Founder, Dapo Olorunyomi, and Executive Director, Motunrayo Alaka, at his residence.
He said, “There are a few bad eggs amongst some judges. Strictly speaking, I will not say bad eggs. Some of them have a problem with learning. They don’t have a good background to be judges. Imagine appointing a higher registrar as a judge. He has no experience.
“In the past, this would not have happened. Maybe due to the population explosion, we have everybody reading law. Every university or college is trying to establish a law faculty. All these may be responsible, not because they are dishonest.
“Personally, they are inadequate. This might be responsible for their wrong judgments. At times, if you see the judgments of some of them, even the Supreme Court judgments, you will be astounded and wonder at what is happening.
“For instance, Peter Obi ought not be allowed to contest the 2023 presidential election. In the sense that by the time he lost the PDP primary, LP had submitted its list of members to the Independent National Electoral Commission. And the Constitution says there cannot be an independent candidacy.
“How did he become a candidate of LP if he does not belong to LP? The same thing happened to the Governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf, who had now defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). His name is not in the NNPP’s register, but they issued him a membership card, and the register is supposed to be the mother of the card.
“But the Supreme Court countenanced it, even though the tribunal and Appeal Court frowned at it. That is the problem of competence. People get to the Supreme Court not because they are good but because there is a vacancy in their zone. They supersede people who are their seniors, whom they met at the Court of Appeal and who are more experienced than they are.
“I am a practical example. Some of them who came ten years after I had got to the Court of Appeal, got recommended to the Supreme Court by me because my zone did not have a vacancy. That is the tragedy we have found ourselves in. We hope that with time, everything will be corrected.”
Justice Salami also expressed appreciation to the Centre for the recognition, noting that such honours are valued across the judiciary.
He further revealed that the principles and boldness of Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka have shaped his views on national issues.
The retired jurist added that the late nationalist, Obafemi Awolowo, inspired his decision to study law.
“In fact, Chief Awolowo was the one who influenced my decision to read law during his treasonable felony trial. And the government prevented his defence counsel from coming to the country from Britain.
“Chief Awolowo decided to take up his own personal defence. So I thought if I go into politics and I find myself in the same hot spot, I should be able to defend myself,” he said.