A group, Coalition of Ethnic Nationalities for the Atiku Agenda (CENTAA), has urged Nigerians to resist the unceremonious dismissal of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen, saying, it rubbished the sacrifice of the heroes of democracy.
Justice Onnoghen is being accused of not fully declaring his assets after becoming the Chief Justice of Nigeria. President Muhammadu Buhari last Friday announced his suspension from office and appointed Justice Tanko Muhammed as the nation’s new CJN, citing orders from the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), where Onnoghen is facing trial.
The suspension was however, against the Court of Appeal orders suspending the trial, for it to decide a suit filed by Onnoghen challenging the case.
Buhari’s decision has attracted criticism from across all sections of the country, including the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) who began a two day boycott of court activities from Tuesday.
CENTAA in statement signed by it national president, Adeoye Jolaosho, condemned Buhari’s action, saying that it made nonsense of the efforts and sacrifices of Nigerians who fought for the entrenchment of this Republic.
The group further described the suspension of the CJN and appointment of acting CJN without approval as part of “corruption” of the ruling party’s and part of unrelenting schemes to subjugate the two other arms of government.
“This entire proceeding by APC is the worst form of corruption, this inordinate commitment towards blacklisting the Legislature and the Judiciary, this strange assault on the delicate walls of the separation of powers. This undeserved holier-than-thou posturing of the APC goes against all the norms of democracy,” it said.
Iniobong Iwok
