Justice Isa Ayo Salami.

By Tobi Soniyi 

A lawyer, Wilfred Okoli, has formally applied to the Federal High Court in Abuja, to discontinue the suit  to stop President Goodluck Jonathan from reinstating the suspended President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Isa Ayo Salami.

In notice of discountinuance filed on Friday and signed by him, Okoli stated two grounds for seeking to discontinue the suit against all the defendants.

The defendants are the National Judicial Council (NJC), Salami, the Attorney General of the Federation and Jonathan.

Okoli in the application stated: “I neither gave consent, nor authorised that the suit be instituted in the first instance. I did not brief anybody whatsoever to commence the suit on my behalf.“I do not have any cause of action against any of the Defendants.”

Last Tuesday, Okoli, had told Justice Abdul Kafarati that he was not aware of the suit filed in his name by, Mr. Amobi Nzelu.
Okoli is a lawyer working in the chambers of Nzelu.
On May 10, the NJC after its meeting in Abuja,  recommended the reinstatement of Justice Salami.

Nzelu, in the suit filed on behalf of Okoli asked the court to stop Jonathan from acting on the recommendation.

But Okoli told the court that he was not aware of the suit.
Amazed by the development, Justice Kafarati asked him and his principal to go and sort out their differences.

The court also asked Amobi to serve the second defendant (Salami) before the next sitting of September 25.

The plaintiff had asked the court to hold that NJC could not deliberate on an issue that was a subject of litigation.

A declaration that the 4th defendant’s right to act or not to act upon any recommendation made to him by the 1st defendant is uninhibited.

He also asked for a declaration that it was only a court of law duly created by the 1999 constitution that had the power to hear and determine matters between parties.

Also he asked for an injunction restraining the 4th defendant (Jonathan) from acting on the recommendation of the NJC.