The Chief Justice of the Nigeria (CJN) and Chairman of the National Judicial Council (NJC), Justice Dahiru Musdapher, has given the judge of the Federal High Court in Benin Justice Adamu Hobon one month from February 10, 2012 to respond to a petition by a group, Nigerians United for Justice (NUJU), seeking for his dismissal form office.
The group, a coalition of political parties, Labour and civil society organizations in Edo State had in the petition to the Chief Justice, dated 2nd February 2012 and signed by Comrade B.S. Kadiri, the Vice-Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC in Edo state and 8 others called for the dismissal of Justice Hobon.
The group said their petition against Justice Hobon, was over, “abuse of judicial powers and obvious disregard for due process and the rule of law in maliciously committing the person of Dr Osagie Obayuwana, the Honorable Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice Edo State to prison over a state matter ”.
In response to the group’s letter, Justice Musdapher said, “the petition is self-explanatory”, adding that “I shall be glad to have your comments within one month from the date of receipt of this letter please”.
It would be recalled that? Nigerians United for Justice had in their letter accused Justice Hobon of abusing the judicial powers vested in him “in deliberately violating the fundamental rights of Dr Osagie Obayuwana by maliciously committing him to prison for reason that the Edo State Government allegedly refused to obey an order of court made in 2003”.