Atiku Denies Backing Onnoghen For Selfish Interest
- Praises EU, US, UK’s position
BY VICTOR BUORO, ABUJA – Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has debunked allegations of selfish interests in frowning at last week’s suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He however has praises for the United States of America (US), the United Kingdom (UK) and the European Union (EU) for raising concern over the Federal Government’s decision to abuse due process of law
Atiku said in a statement he personally signed on Sunday that Nigerians must resist every form and shape of dictatorship to protect the current democratic dispensation.
The former Vice President said as a country governed by laws in a constitutional democracy, Nigerians must raise their voices to condemn any action or inaction by the Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration to derail the country’s democracy.
According to him, the fight is all about protecting Nigeria’s constitution, given the current administration’s penchant for always acting outside the provisions of the law.
Defending his position further, the PDP flag-bearer said; “I am not fighting for Justice Onnoghen. I am fighting for the constitution. Once we open the Pandora’s Box of unconstitutionality, we cannot tell where it will end.
“This scenario appears to me like déjà vu. Under a particularly brutal military dictatorship, Nigerians witnessed the illegal and arbitrary removal of many innocent people from their positions of authority and many said nothing because they were not from the ethnic group of those affected.
“I remember speaking up then that what we know is when the rain begins, but we do not know when it will end. My warnings were ignored by some until they woke up one day and that dictator removed no less a personality than the Sultan of Sokoto.
“It is worth pointing out that Muhammadu Buhari was by his side when he did that. He obviously learned very well from his teacher.
“If they come for the heads of the legislature and we keep quiet because we are not legislators, if they came for the heads of the media and we keep quiet because we are not journalists, if they came for the head of the judiciary and we keep quiet because he/she is not from our area, there may be no one left to speak up when they come for us.”
Alhaji Atiku also expressed happiness at various interventions from the international community, saying; “My thanks especially go to the governments of the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union for standing shoulder to shoulder with the Nigerian people. This is most appreciated and on behalf of the voiceless, I say thank you.
“And to those who accuse these governments of interfering, I remind them that they made no such accusations when they celebrated a statement from the US/UK/EU calling for free and fair elections in 2015, just after the postponement of the 2015 elections to make room for a final assault against Boko Haram. What has changed between then and now, except that they are now in power,” the Wazirin Adamawa said.
