As the suspended President of the Court of Appeal (PCA), Justice Isa Salami retires today from the appellate court, the Acting President of the Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa may continue in acting capacity as the president of the court, a source confided in LEADERSHIP last night.

LEADERSHIP also gathered yesterday that the National Judicial Council (NJC) is yet to decide on who the substantive President of the court will be.

It was also gathered that the most senior judge in the appellate court is not likely to be considered for the job because of alleged certain issues that concern his career at the court.

The source further said that the acting President will continue in office for the next two months when her tenure as acting president will expire before a substantive PCAwill be appointed.

Justice Bulkachuwa’s appointment as the acting president of the court was renewed about a month ago.

The source further told our correspondent yesterday that, “No name has been pencilled down to replace justice Salami as he bows out from the court tomorrow (today). As you know, the tenure of the acting President of the court was just renewed about a month ago.

“ I am sure in the next two months, you will know if the appointment of present acting president will be confirmed as the substantive president or not. All I can tell you for now is that the court is headed by an acting president”.

Justice Salami, who is retiring today as the president of the court was suspended by the NJC in 2011 under the chairmanship of a former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu.

Before his suspension, he had alleged that Justice Katsina-Alu wanted him to compromise in Sokoto State governorship tussle.

In the history of the judiciary in Nigeria, this is the first time a sitting president of the Court of Appeal will be suspended.

Shortly after he was suspended, Justice Salami dragged the NJC, Justice Katsina-Alu and other before Justice Gabriel Kolawole of a federal high court in Abuja to challenge his suspension.

LEADERSHIP also gathered yesterday that until the court case he filed is dispensed with, he may not be able to receive his entitlement as a retired president of the court.

At a recent book lunch in his honour in Ilorin, Justice Salami said he had no regret for his action during his tenure as the president of the court.

He had said, “You are all aware of the call log issue, none of them, not a single one showed that I ever called Tinubu, Lai Mohammed the ACN chieftains they were referring to.

“We went to the tribunal with witnesses (experts) who were able to show the NJC that you could use my phone in my pocket to call somebody. The experts demonstrated it at NJC. You could use my phone which in my pocket to send text messages to another person.

“All these call logs were fake, but we thank God we survived all the efforts to paint us black. A question was asked and I said Kastina-Alu called to ask me to dismiss Sokoto Appeal and he said no he didn’t call for that; that he called to say that the judgment had leaked. He testified before the NJC and I did my own.

“The chairman of the panel said that the information about leakage was derived from the petition written against me. There was nothing of such in the petition against me. There was not to say against my defence. Is it not in the absence of any evidence to the contrary they should accept my own. They never did that they said my own was unfounded. Did I go there for a tea party? So we just leave everything to God Almighty who is the final arbiter. I assure you all that in spite of what happened I am a very happy man. I have not for a moment, regretted what I did. I am very happy for what I did and I proud of what I did. I thank God Almighty.”

joshbam: The man was fair in his judgement, must everybody go the same direction with Mr. President The man has done a great job.... Kudos man

kelvincoll:

Even if the President's direction were right and just? hmmmm.... come to think of it what was the "President's direction" in the first place that makes Justice Salami's counter judgment Fair and great? I thought the President supported Free and Fair election which saw ACN victorious. If say na Abacha abi IBB who for fit cough?

ERockson: Salami kept saying he did not regret what he did. Pls what did he do?

joshbam: if he supports free and fair Election, so what's the main reason why he sacked AIS?

Professor Peter: he was Tinubu's agent. Shame on him

gregg2: A very dark chapter in the nation's judiciary finally comes to an end