This development came on a day Lagos lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, filed a suit at a Federal High Court, Abuja challenging the decision of the Federal Government to pay Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and her Foreign Affairs counterpart, Mr. Olu Adeniyi, in dollars.

Chief Fawehinmi said the payment of the equivalent of N36 million per annum as salary to Dr. Okonjo-Iweala as against the N794,085 for other ministers was a flagrant violation of Certain Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and allowances, etc) Act.

 SGF’s statement

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Ufot Ekaette, who issued the statement, announcing the dismissal of Justice Selong said: “The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has approved the dismissal of Honourable Justice C.P.N. Senlong of the Federal High Court from the Federal Judicial Service following the recommendation of the National Judicial Council, which found him guilty of corruption.  This is in line with the provisions of Section 292 sub-section (1) (b) of 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which empowers the president to remove a judicial officer from office on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council.
"The dismissal takes immediate effect.”

Genesis of NJC

Between 1999, when the National Judicial Council (NJC) came into being, and now, it has considered hundreds of petitions from litigants across the federation against judicial officers bordering on professional misconduct. The council, to date, has disposed off at least 105 of the cases, recommending punishments where necessary.

For instance, in the Lagos State judiciary alone, no fewer than three judges have been sacked or retired by the highest disciplinary council, NJC.

The affected judicial officers include the erstwhile administrative judge of the Ikeja Judicial Division of the state judiciary, Justice Solomon Hunponu-Wusu; Justice Adebayo Manuwa of the Ikeja High Court; and Justice Moshood Olugbani. While Hunponu-Wusu was retired, Olugbani and Manuwa were sacked.

At least seven other judges were also removed from the bench by the council for indiscriminate granting of ex-parte injunctions, the most recent being Justice Egbo-Egbo of the Federal High Court.

The NJC also suspended four judges from different high courts in the federation for alleged corruption. The judges are Justices M. M. Adamu of the Plateau State High Court, O. T. Ahura of Benue State, A. M. Elelegwu of the Delta State Customary Court of Appeal and C.P.N. Selong who has now been fired.

Justices Adamu, Ahura and Elelegwu were suspended for allegedly receiving bribe while discharging their duties as members of the Akwa Ibom State governorship election petition tribunal while Justice Senlong was suspended for allegedly influencing the tribunal’s judgment in favour of a party to an election petition before the tribunal. 

Gani drags FG to court

Meanwhile, Lagos lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN), has dragged the Federal Government to a Federal High Court, Abuja challenging the payment of the equivalent of N36 million as annual salary to Finance Minister, Dr Okonjo-Iweala, contrary to the approved N794, 085.00 for all ministers.

In the originating summons filed by his counsel, Mr Adindu Ugwuozor, Fawehinmi described the annual salary of $247,000 (about N36 million) for Dr Okonjo-Iweala and that of the Minister of External Affairs, Ambassador Olufemi Adeniji, fixed at $120,000 (about N17 million) as a flagrant violation of Certain Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc) Act.

Named in the suit as defendants are President Olusegun Obasanjo, Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission and Dr Ngozi Okonjo–Iweala. Others defendants are Ambassador Olufemi Adeniji and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).

Specifically, the plaintiff is seeking the following reliefs:
lA declaration that the 3rd and 4th defendants (Okonjo-Iweala and Adeniji respectively) (Ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria) who are public officers are not entitled to earn salaries above those prescribed by Certain Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc) Act No. 6 of 2002 made on the 13th  December 2002, but which is deemed to have come into force on the 29th of May 1999.

lA declaration that no public officer under the Certain Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc) Act No. 6 of 2002 made on the 13th December 2002, but which is deemed to have come into force on the 29th of May 1999, is entitled to receive his or her salary in any other currency other than the Naira.

lA declaration that the yearly salary of $247, 000 (about N36 million) being paid to the 3rd defendant, Dr (Mrs) Ngozi Okonjo–Iweala, the Federal Minister of Finance is a flagrant violation of Certain Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc) Act No. 6 of 2002 which prescribes a yearly salary of N794, 085 .00 for every minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

lA declaration that the yearly salary of $120, 000 (about N17 million) being paid to the 4th defendant Ambassador Olufemi Adeniji, Federal Minister of External Affairs is a flagrant violation of Certain Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc) Act No. 6 of 2002 which prescribes a yearly salary of N794, 085. 00 for every minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

lAn order compelling the 3rd and 4th defendants to refund to the Federal Government of Nigeria any amount in excess of prescribed salary in Certain Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc) Act No. 6 of 2002.

lA declaration that the authorisation by the 1st defendant (The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria) of the salaries being paid to the 3rd and 4th defendants in violation of the Certain Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc) Act No. 6 of 2002 amounts to an abuse of power which is contrary to:

(a) Section 15(5) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; and (b) Section 153 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which empowers the 2nd defendant to determine the remuneration appropriate for political office holders, including the president, vice-president, governor, deputy governors, ministers, commissioners, special advisers, legislators and the holders of offices mentioned in Section 84 and 124 of the Constitution and in pursuance of which an Act entitled: “Certain Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc) Act No. 6 of 2002 was promulgated.

lAn injunction restraining the Federal Government of Nigeria, its agents, servants, privies or howsoever called particularly the1st defendant from paying ministers or any other public officers covered by Certain Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc) Act No. 6 of 2002 outside the salaries prescribed in the said Act.