Onnoghen’s Removal: Executive Lawlessness Turned To Statecraft By APC Government – Atiku
BY AMOS DUNIA, ABUJA – Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar has said that the action of President Muhammadu Buhari in removing the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen from office falls squarely within the pattern of executive lawlessness that has now been firmly turned into statecraft by the All Progressives Congress (APC) government.
Atiku, in a state of the Nation address on Monday declared that without doubt, the fight against corruption is crucial to good governance and the progress of our country.
He stressed that in this context, the issue of corruption as it relates to the institution of the judiciary is even more crucial, adding however that the issue at stake is not whether the Chief Justice is guilty or not, but whether his removal from office has been done in accordance with the process specified in Nigeria’s constitution.
According to him; “As the last refuge of the common man, our judiciary must not only be above suspicion but must also be seen to be manifestly above board.
“As a democrat, I must say, without equivocation, that no mission or goal, no matter how noble or well intended, should be used as a pretext for the subversion of our democracy and our democratic institutions.
“To create a condition that allows the constitution and the rule of law to become secondary to any other agenda is to pave the way for tyranny. History is replete with odious dictators whose path to dictatorship started with statements of good intentions. We must therefore remain vigilant in defense of our democracy.
“We are all witnesses to how this government has serially assaulted the National Assembly, a separate arm of government that represents the bastion of our democracy. However, with this attack on the judiciary, General Buhari has set a new precedent in our democracy that has no equivalence in our history, not even in the darkest days of military dictatorship. This cannot be allowed to stand.
“At this juncture, I must warn the APC government to desist from taking actions that may push us further down the slippery slope towards a major constitutional crisis that could derail the electoral process.
“General Muhammadu Buhari must remember that he is a beneficiary of a free and fair election. It is therefore a matter of honour for him to allow a political environment and process that gives confidence to everyone,” Atiku stressed.
