₦airaland Forum

Former Appeal Court President Justice Isa Ayo Salami (rtd) has said that former Anambra state governor, Peter Obi, shouldn’t have been allowed to contest the 2023 presidential elections under the banner of Labour Party (LP).

Justice Salami, who attributed the error to the inadequacy and incompetence of some of the judges, who he claimed were responsible for some of the wrong verdicts, also said that the same thing happened to the Governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf.

He also expressed concern about the incompetence of some judges and the promotion to the bench without regard to excellence, saying that some of them lack the background to be judges.

The retired jurist said this in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital, on Tuesday during a courtesy visit and the presentation of an award by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) to him.

The award was presented to Justice Salami by founder of WSCIJ, Dapo Olorunyomi, and the Executive Director, Motunrayo Alaka, respectively, at his Ilorin home.

According to him, “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 population explosion, we have everybody rearing 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 this sense, by the time he lost the PDP primary, LP had submitted its list of members to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“And the Constitution says there cannot be an independent candidacy,so how did he become a candidate of the LP if he does not belong to the 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 from their zones. 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 were 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.”

He hailed the WSCIJ for the honour it did him with that symbolic gesture. “I am very happy to receive the award. I hope and pray that your organisation will flourish. I am very sure that many people will be eager, from time to time, to be honoured by you.

“There is hardly any judge who will not appreciate this type of award coming to him. Even if he is a bad judge, not to talk of others who are very good and dedicated,” he said.

He hinted that Prof Wole Soyinka’s audacity and principles influenced his position on Nigeria’s affairs. He also revealed to the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, that he had influenced his decision to read 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 into 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 pot, I should be able to defend myself,” the jurist added.”

Racoon:
Anyone who wants to trend must mention Peter Obi. Just imagine what is coming from a former president of the court of appeal of a nation. This is the same man that adjucate in the Aregbesola case in Osun State and many other controversial judgements in the history of this nation.

For an ex Judge to descend this low actually says everything you need to know about his lack of integrity and how he has contributed to the bastardization of the judiciary to please his slavemaster.

Racoon:
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2026/03/2023-election-obi-shouldnt-have-been-allowed-to-contest-justice-ayo-salami/?fbclid=Iwb21leAQvsfhjbGNrBC-xwWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHg925y0ExGwQivTrdiHK2nE2YYn-qMFpkngFBa8FVeiBluIh1k7JPmb4dpCt_aem_XYH9iVCGeA6WWcGBavHDfA

“For instance, Peter Obi ought not be allowed to contest the 2023 presidential election. In this sense, by the time he lost the PDP primary, LP had submitted its list of members to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

fergie001:
When they elevated you to the Supreme Court in 2011, why did you refuse to go? Instead you chose to leave the Judiciary rather than go to the Supreme Court to show that your expertise. Now, you didn't go to the Supreme Court and as President of the Appeal Court, you as well as Kayode Ariwoola then In the Appeal Court were directly accused of procuring judgements for Aregbesola (Osun) and Fayemi (Ekiti).

Milord Justice Salami, you know the principle of stare decisis means you should not be discussing issues like this. You can recall Sir, it was because of that strong allegation that Kayode Ariwoola's elevation to the Supreme Court was delayed.

It was because of the allegation of helping the ACN that for the first time the Supreme Court & NASS changed the rule to ensure that Governorship elections go higher to the Supreme Court and not end at the Appeal Court like before 2011.

Milord, I also hope you are conversant with the Electoral Act 2022 that persons outside those who participated in the Primary should not be challenging same, an age-long principle even when you were at the Appeal Court as far as 2007, membership issues are non-jurisdictional. Are you aware Sir that forgery has been removed from the Electoral Act 2026? Justice Salami, are you aware that some people are in their positions in the NASS without participating in their parties' respective primaries?

tuborme:
The first question is… did Obi contest the PDP primaries?

Racoon:
Anyone who wants to trend must mention Peter Obi. Just imagine what is coming from a former president of the court of appeal of a nation. This is the same man that adjucate in the Aregbesola case in Osun State and many other controversial judgements in the history of this nation.

For an ex Judge to descend this low actually says everything you need to know about his lack of integrity and how he has contributed to the bastardization of the judiciary to please his slavemaster.

seunmsg:
Lmao, you should stick to arguing against the point he made instead of attacking his personality. The 2022 electoral act was very clear about the mandatory requirement of all political parties to submit their membership register to INEC 30 days before the election. I can bet if Tinubu had moved to another party after the submission of the party’s register, you would have argued that he’s not qualified to contest since his name is not in the party’s register.

So, let’s always be dispassionate and less emotional when taking position on matters like this. We should stop standing law on its head because it’s convenient at a particular time.

seunmsg:
The 2022 electoral act came after the Supreme Court judgement of 2007. What is the purpose of submitting the party register to INEC before the commencement of the party primaries if people who joined the party after the submission of the register can still contest as candidates of the party?

Candidate of opposing parties challenged this anomaly in 2023 at the election tribunal and all the courts ruled against them as if the provision is not in the electoral act. This is what Justice Salami is condemning. Our justices should be bold and courageous enough to interpret the law accurately irrespective of who may be affected.

fergie001:
Well, I am dispassionate but the man is hitting the Justices of higher Courts, something you will k!ll Obidients for.

Again, infact we have a situation where the current CRS Deputy Governor was in two parties at the same time, PDP & APC. You know my position on Tinubu and the 2023 election, I bet you remember. Only persons who participated in the same Primaries with them cozld challenge same. Is it not in the Electoral Act?
Is Justice Ayo Salami not aware that in 2007 the Supreme Court ruled that INEC had no power whatsoever to disqualify anybody, only the courts.

So who would have sued Obi or Abba, since they both ran alone in their respective primaries?

Racoon:
Anyone who wants to trend must mention Peter Obi. Just imagine what is coming from a former president of the court of appeal of a nation. This is the same man that adjucate in the Aregbesola case in Osun State and many other controversial judgements in the history of this nation.

For an ex Judge to descend this low actually says everything you need to know about his lack of integrity and how he has contributed to the bastardization of the judiciary to please his slavemaster.

tuborme:
The first question is… did Obi contest the PDP primaries?

Racoon:
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2026/03/2023-election-obi-shouldnt-have-been-allowed-to-contest-justice-ayo-salami/?fbclid=Iwb21leAQvsfhjbGNrBC-xwWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHg925y0ExGwQivTrdiHK2nE2YYn-qMFpkngFBa8FVeiBluIh1k7JPmb4dpCt_aem_XYH9iVCGeA6WWcGBavHDfA

Racoon:
Anyone who wants to trend must mention Peter Obi. Just imagine what is coming from a former president of the court of appeal of a nation. This is the same man that adjucate in the Aregbesola case in Osun State and many other controversial judgements in the history of this nation.

For an ex Judge to descend this low actually says everything you need to know about his lack of integrity and how he has contributed to the bastardization of the judiciary to please his slavemaster.