Hundreds of members of the Coalition of Civil Societies of Nigeria on Saturday staged a peaceful protest in Abuja with a call on the National Assembly to wade into alleged partiality of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) justice Tajudeen Olukayode Ariwoola.

Led by Comrade Isiaku Balogun, the group enjoined the the national Assembly to probe to cause a public hearing on the alleged political interference by the CJN ahead of the 2023 general elections.

The group contended that the Independence of the judiciary can no be deemed satisfactory since the CJN has allegedly taken a side in a political dispute within a political party out of the 18 others who are sponsoring candidates in the 2023 elections.

The group pointed at the recent utterances by the CJN during a commissioning of a project in Rivers State to buttress their position.

The protesters who converged at the precinct of the national Assembly complex brandished several placards and banners with inscriptions as “You are partisan Ariwoola resign now”, Judicial politicians will cause us harm, Ariwoola is a politician”, “We demand independent judiciary, peaceful 2023 general elections”, and “No more politicians in judicial bodies.”

The group thereby demanded the immediate sack of the CJN as Nigerians no longer have confidence in his person as an impartial judge.

The group noted: “Chief Justice of Nigeria Tajudeen Olukayode Arowoola’s affinity in political dispute is a mark of interference capable of truncating the good efforts already put in place by the National Assembly. Nigerians may not be the deciders of electoral choices they make. With his continued stay in office, the courts may subvert the people’s choice since the judicial head is now affiliated to the political class.

“The Coalition of Civil Societies of Nigeria has since analysed his statements at the commissioning and came to the conclusion that democracy is indeed in danger.

“How do we explain that the man saddled with the impartial role of dispensing justice is now on the side of a particular group in a political dispute?

“Given the fact that 18 political parties are up in the race for the 2023 general elections, we wonder what interest the CJN had leading him to obstruct the impartiality of the Judicial arm of government he currently head.

“Nigerians are at lost as to the reasons our constitution spelt out the independence of each arm of government. It is unspeakable, flippant, unpardonable and unprofessional for the Chief Justice of Nigeria to openly identify with a side he is affectionately romancing in a sensitive political race that would be decided by Nigerians.

“This portends a great danger to the smooth dispensation of justice in case of electoral dispute before, during and after the 2023 general elections. Nigerians will not fold their arms and let this pass.

“From Justice Tajudeen Olukayode Arowoola’s body language, it is becoming clearer that no party or candidate can get justice in the Supreme Court he oversees. Nigerians totally reject this overbearing partisanship by the CJN. It is a dent on our collective dignity as a people. Governor Makinde and the CJN are brothers and we respect that but to now transfer state affinity to political affinity is an advocacy taken too far.

“We shall continue to demand the immediate sack of the CJN especially now that his amorous political intentions and bias are in the public domain. The CJN’s position is now popularly in doubt as an impartial player.

“He should resign, failing which our coalition will press for all legitimate means through citizens revolt for him to vacate the exalted, impartial and independent office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria. We call on all Nigerians to see this anomaly as a danger enough to truncate citizens interest in electing a President of their choice in February, 2023,” the coalition stated, (The Guardian)

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