Alleged Meeting with Tinubu: “Yes, CJN Ariwoola was in London”, but… – Supreme Court

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The Supreme Court has admitted that Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Olukayode Ariwoola made a trip to London

But the apex court, through its spokesperson, Festus Akande, stated that President Muhammadu Buhari is aware of Ariwoola’s trip

Akande also made it clear that the CJN’s trip to London is not connected to Bola Tinubu’s leaving Nigeria recently.

Amid speculation that Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Olukayode Ariwoola, and President-elect Bola Tinubu met in London recently, the Supreme Court has given a crucial angle to the story.

Justice Kayode Ariwoola after being spotted in Abuja on Friday, March 24. The CJN was seen leaving the Supreme Court in Abuja for the usual Friday prayers amid claims that he is in London with Bola Ahmed Tinubu This latest update dismisses the unfounded speculation that Tinubu is trying to buy Ariwoola’s heart as the head of Nigeria’s judiciary.

The court’s through its spokesperson, Dr. Festus Akande, remarked that there was no truth in the report that Ariwoola and Tinubu met in London, ThisDay reports.

Akande who spoke with ThisDay on Friday, March 24, disclosed that Ariwoola has been in Nigeria, and presided over meetings of the National Judicial Council (NJC) held on 16 and 17 March.

However, the apex court’s spokesman disclosed that the CJN alongside NJC’s secretary, Gambo Saleh, travelled to London on 18 March for medical care, a trip, of which, according to Akande, President Muhammadu Buhari is aware.

He said: “On 23 March, the CJN returned from his medical trip to London and later reported in the office (in Abuja), where he worked till 8p.m.”

Akande added that the only time the CJN made a trip earlier in 2023 was on Wednesday, January 25, when he travelled for Lesser Hajj in Saudi Arabia and returned on Sunday, January 29.

But the spokesman added that there is no connection between Ariwoola’s trip and that of Tinubu.

Amid several news reports about a meeting between Nigeria’s president-elect, Bola Tinubu and the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kayode Ariwoola, in the United Kingdom, Ahmed Raji (SAN) has dismissed such claims.

Raji said the reports were false and were an attempt to mar the image of the Supreme Court of Justice. Raji revealed on Thursday, March 23, that Justice Ariwoola was indeed in the United Kingdom but was there only on medical leave but returned to Nigeria in the early hours of Thursday.

Meanwhile, a series of reports confirmed that Tinubu had left the country on health grounds as well. Raji said: “It is in the news since Tuesday evening that Tinubu was travelling to Europe for medical reasons as well as for lesser hajj, further reports indicated that he is in France to meet with his medical doctor, why would somebody now link that to the CJN that has left Nigeria for the UK since Saturday to observe his own medical session and just came back today (Thursday) as meeting Tinubu?”

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