Former Lagos State Governor Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday criticised the suspension of Court of Appeal President Justice Isa Ayo Salami.

[size=14pt]He also described his alleged sponsorship of the Islamic fundamentalist sect Boko Harm as politically motivated.[/size]

He said those behind the allegation are bent on destroying the reputation of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). Tinubu is the national leader of the ACN.

Tinubu spoke at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos yesterday on his way out of the country.

He described the suspension of Justice Salami as the worst thing to have happened to the judiciary, which he said should be the bastion of democracy. He said the action is a gross violation of constitutional democracy.

Tinubu explained that the suspension of Justice Salami without recourse to the Council of State is enough evidence that the judiciary has been infiltrated by the executive.

He promised to speak comprehensively on the Justice Salami issue later, saying: "They can hurriedly implement National Judicial Council recommendation, without going to the Council of State. I will speak on the issue adequately, not off the cuff. My position will be more documented."

Tinubu, who said he is unperturbed by his alleged link to Boko Haram, explained that as a believer in the sanctity of human life, he will not support such callous killings as being unleashed by the Boko Haram in the name of religion.

He, however, asked the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, investigate the reasons why Boko Haram members are aggrieved.

He said if the root cause of the Boko Haram crisis is not unravelled, more extremist groups could spring up.

The former governor urged the government to investigate the circumstances behind the summary execution of Boko Haram leader Mohammed Yusuf, saying if there is no justice, it will be difficult to stamp out the problems arising from the challenge.

[b]Tinubu said:" The allegation that I am sponsoring Boko Haram is a very serious allegation. That is very malicious and damaging. It is a very serious rumour. I cannot be involved in such a heinous act because I believe in the secularity of Nigeria; remember, my wife is a Deaconess. So, I cannot be involved in such an evil act.

"I cannot be involved in sponsoring Boko Haram, I believe in the rule of law, in all the battles I have confronted, I know how I have been committed to the rule of law. I always head for the court. I am convinced that it is politically motivated, from those who have failed to deliver good governance to Nigeria. I believe this country must strive for freedom, liberty and the inalienable right of individuals.

"If you talk about Boko Haram, you cannot examine one side alone; government must look at all the sides, and ask, ‘what is the genesis of Boko Haram? How did it start? Was it imported?’ Add everything to these with injustice. The leadership of Nigeria did not handle this matter properly from the beginning. Did it just spring like locust? It all started gradually. What happened to the leader of Boko Haram, that was arrested, handed over to the police, but was summarily executed?

"The military personnel that apprehended him do not have the right to prosecute him; they handed him over to the police whose men allegedly killed him, without interrogating him. Why didn’t the police try to purge him of the reason why he was involved in the killings? They did not take him to the court; we all saw it. To every action, there is a reaction. "Government has to go back to do justice. This is what happens when justice is missing. That is why the lawyers say justice must not only be done, but must be seen to have been done."

Tinubu advised the government to find the cause of the Boko Haram crisis by "addressing all the anger in the society and engaging leadership at all levels, in particular prominent leaders to find a way to appeal to the promoters of Boko Haram, and investigate the theory that al Quaeda has infiltrated Boko Haram, and examine ourselves again". [/b]

Tinubu went on: "I’m at liberty to express how I feel about what happens in Nigeria. Because I lead the major opposition party in Nigeria, the ACN, I speak on principle. I respect the rule of law; wherever there is violation, I will speak my mind, and join the agitation, in any form. They won’t like it because the ACN is getting larger, the leader is getting more influential. So, let us stop him, that is it.

"He has access to America, Europe, he has freedom, let us link him with Boko Haram, which is linked to al-Qaeda, the enemy of the West, so that they will deny him of liberty. That is what they want to do, they want to get my name off Immigration. They stopped me before, when they made the allegation that I was involved in money laundering."

"I have my liberty, we cannot swallow hook line and sinker the lies of these dangerous people."

Beaf:


I don't recall anybody accusing Tinubu of sponsoring boko haram. Does anyone?
E get as e be for Tinubu to suddenly start reporting himself!

. . .Perhaps he knows more about what the FBI has uncovered about the UN bombing?

Curious shiite indeed.

OAM4J:

Tinubu denies sponsoring Boko Haram

He said, “The allegation that I am sponsoring Boko Haram is a very serious allegation that is very malicious and damaging. It is a very serious rumour, I cannot be involved in such a heinous act, because I believe in the secularity of Nigeria, remember my wife is a deaconess, so, I cannot be involved in such evil act.

“I cannot be involved in sponsoring Boko Haram, I believe in the rule of law, in all the battles I have confronted, I know how I am committed to the rule of law, I always headed for the court. I am convinced that it is politically motivated, from those who have failed to deliver good governance to Nigeria. I believe this country must strive for freedom, liberty and the inalienable right of individuals.”

He added, “If you talk about Boko Haram, you cannot examine one side alone. Government must look at all the sides, and ask, what is the genesis of Boko Haram? How did it start?

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201109162523445

midep:

Beaf u r losing it, Instead of u and your Dummy GEJ to apologize to Nigerians and resign voluntarily for being a failure u still get mouth to talk rubbish on our ASIJAWU.

dayokanu:

What is the result of the Questioning of Dokpesi, Chima, Henry Okah and other Odechukwu Retardeen Jonathan brother who decided to blow the country upabout a year ago?

meforyou1: To be fair to Tinubu, I don't believe he supports boko haram. But I'm very sure buhari and atiku are their main and major sponsors

“Government has to find the cause of the Boko Haram crisis by addressing all the anger in the society, and examine all grievances and engage leadership at all levels, in particular prominent leaders to find a way to appeal to the promoters of Boko Haram, and investigate the theory that Al-Qaeda infiltrated Boko Haram, and also examine ourselves again.”