The suspension of Walter Onnoghen, Chief Justice of Nigeria and subsequent swearing in of an acting Chief Justice by President Muhammadu Buhari has drawn the bile of some prominent Nigerians including Nigeria Bar Association (NBA).
Buhari had Friday suspended the Chief Justice of Nigeria and swore in Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed as an acting Chief Justice of Nigeria.
While some Nigerians call it “coup against democracy”, others see it as “executive interference.”
This is as Nigerian Bar Associationj (NBA) lambasted “The action of the Executive portends a slide into anarchy and complete deconstruction of the Rule of Law and due process.”
Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate said, “The purported suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria by President Muhammadu Buhari, is an anti-democratic act which I reject in its entirety and call on Justice Onnoghen and the judiciary to resist with every legal and constitutional means that they can muster.
On his part, Dr. Bukola Saraki, the Senate President tweeted that “the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Onnoghen by President Buhari is a coup against democracy and a deliberate attempt to endanger our hard-won democracy.”
“At this point, all democratic institutions in the country, the international community and democrats across the world should rise against this blatant act of impunity.”
He called on “President Buhari to immediately reverse this decision and allow the due process of the law to take its natural course.”
Paul Usoro, the NBA President pointed out “The new media has been awash this evening with the news of the purported suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Honorable Mr. Justice Walter S C Onnoghen, GCON by President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR and the swearing in of Hon Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed as the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria. We are told that this was pursuant to an Ex-Parte Order that was issued by the Code of Conduct Tribunal on Wednesday, 23 January 2019.
“The Nigerian Bar Association unequivocally rejects and condemns this attempted coup against the Nigerian Judiciary and evident suspension of the Nigerian Constitution by the Executive arm of the Federal Government. The action of the Executive portends a slide into anarchy and complete deconstruction of the Rule of Law and due process.
“It amounts to an absolute breach of the Constitution and the usurpation of the powers of the Senate and the Nigerian Judicial Council.
According to him, “It is unfortunate that the Executive Branch of Government purports to suspend the CJN on the basis of an alleged ex-parte order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal – the same Tribunal that, to the knowledge of the Executive, had, only the previous day, Tuesday, 22 January 2019 adjourned its proceedings to Monday, 28 January 2019 and has before it a Motion on Notice that is yet to be argued, seeking the same reliefs as were contained in the purported ex-parte application, to wit, the suspension of the CJN, amongst others.
“We call on the Federal Government to avert the looming constitutional crisis precipitated by its ill-advised action. In particular, the Nigerian Bar Association demands the reversal of the purported suspension of Honorable Mr. Justice Walter S C Onnoghen, GCON.
“We also call on the National Assembly to assert its constitutional authority and powers and prevent this slide into chaos and erosion of the Rule of Law,” Usoro said.
But, Comrade Deji Adeyanju sought “NJC must suspend Tanko the fake Chief Justice of Buhari, brought in to help APC rig the election. The independence of the judiciary must be protected from executive interference. This lawless and tyrannic criminal act must be resisted vehemently. #TyrantBuhari.”
Senator Dino Melaye representing Kogi West in the Senate tweeted “Government is not owned by those in Government but owned by the People. Nigerians must prove that the people are bigger than those in Government. The time to act is NOW!!!! – Senator Dino Melaye (SDM).”
Angry Femi Fani-Kayode wrote “President is a northern Muslim. Senate President is a northern Muslim. Speaker of the House is a northern Christian. CJN is a northern Muslim. The heads of ALL security, military, paramilitary and intelligence agencies in the country except for the Navy are northern Muslims.
Fani-Kayode, a one-time Minister of Aviation concluded “The Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal and the Federal High Court are all headed by northern Muslims. Southerners and Christians in Nigeria have finally been conquered and colonised. They just don’t know it yet. South needs real leaders and not cowardly whimps to liberate it.”
Prince Uche Secondus, the PDP National Chairman wrote “President @MBuhari Presidency has lowered the esteem of the nation with his embarrassing outings recently and assured the people that Atiku will restore Nigeria and return its status in the comity of nations.
Also, the PDP Nigeria in showing solidarity with Onnoghen suspended campaign “Removal of CJN: The @OfficialPDPNig Presidential Campaign Council has suspended its presidential campaign in protest of President @MBuhari’s decision to suspend the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen. @WhiteHouse @realDonaldTrump @POTUS @UN @10DowningStreet.”
