The presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has described the suspension of Walter Onnoghen, the chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), as
The presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has described the suspension of Walter Onnoghen, the chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), as dictatorship taken too far. President Muhammadu Buhari suspended Onnoghen on Friday, appointing Tanko Mohammed from Bauchi state in acting capacity. The president based his action on an order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
But Atiku attributed the president’s action to an attempt to undermine the judiciary ahead of the February 16 presidential poll. He wondered why Buhari removed Onnoghen just as he was preparing to swear in members of election petition tribunals.
“The fact that the unlawful suspension of Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen was announced just as it became public knowledge that the CJN was constituting the election petition tribunals is not lost on discerning Nigerians and the international community. This act of desperation is geared towards affecting the outcome of the 2019 Presidential elections” he said in a statement he personally signed.
The presidential candidate called on the judiciary to do all within its powers to resist the anti-democratic act. Describing the judiciary as the last hope of the common man, he called for the intervention of the international community.
“And to the Nigerian electorate, I call on you to save your beloved country from dictatorship by voting against President Muhammadu Buhari’s desperate war against the judiciary. Our country is falling apart under the leadership of President Buhari and it is time to stand up for democracy,” the statement concluded.
