The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has alerted that some influential persons in the Muhammadu Buhari administration have concluded plans to arrest the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen on Tuesday.
Spokesman of CUPP, Ikenga Ugochinyere, at a press conference on Friday in Abuja alleged that “The cabal of the Presidency have just concluded a meeting last night (Thursday) where they set the stage to burn down the institution of democracy and constitutional governance for the purpose of achieving a narrow aim of annexing the judiciary”.
The coalition further stated: “Just few hours after our release of the secret letter directing the freezing of the account of the CJN illegally without a Court order, these men have at the end of their meeting last night (Thursday night) directed the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Mr. Danladi Umar to disregard the Order of the Federal High Court, Abuja which has directed the Tribunal to maintain status quo and go ahead to issue a bench warrant on the next adjourned date being Tuesday the 22nd January, 2019 in the
event the CJN does not appear in Court”.
Ugochinyere also alleged that the meeting of the Presidency cabal also resolved and directed the new Acting Inspector General of Police to effect the immediate arrest of the CJN on the same Tuesday.
The coalition said that the arrest has been planned in such a way as to ensure that the CJN is served with the CCT warrant same day.
“They further resolved that another petition would now be forwarded to the National Judicial Council and that petition has already been drafted in the Chambers of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. This petition will precede the other frivolous and trumped up allegations which will be submitted against other Supreme Court Justices.
“The plan on Tuesday to get Danladi Umar (CCT Chairman) to issue a bench warrant against the CJN; the plan on Tuesday to get the Ag, IGP to arrest the CJN and the plan on Tuesday to forcibly arraign the CJN are solely aimed at forcing the CJN out of office hence paving the way for a well-known pro-Buhari Judge, Justice Tanko Mohammed who is the Deputy Chaiman of the NJC to take over and do all their bidding”.
The coalition insisted that “unless and until the CJN is found guilty by a court of competent
jurisdiction, he will not resign!
“They want to force him out at all cost and put an acting CJN who’s bidding will include setting up appeal panels to resolve the Rivers and Zamfara APC crisis in favour of the APC and the other States where they fear they will lose elections including Akwa Ibom State, Delta State, Lagos state, Benue State, Imo State, Kwara State, Plateau state, Kaduna State, Abia State and Sokoto State and also constitute a pro-Buhari post-presidential election Tribunal”.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja
