Brave Dickson
Some lawyers in Rivers State have urged suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen to seek redress in court over his sack which many Nigerians described as unconstitutional.
One of the lawyers and public commenter, Barr. A.O Imiete said President Muhammadu Buhari can not remove CJN from office without recourse to the National Judicial Council and the Senate.
“I urged the embattled CJN to approach the court over his unlawful suspension.
“Nigeria Bar Association and NJC should not stop at condemning it verbally but act fast in order for this unconstitutional action by the president not to bring bad precedence on our democracy, “Barr Imiete said.
Though the president had given reasons for sacking CJN Onnoghen, insisting that the decision was done to save the country’s image, the suspension of embattled Onnoghen saw the immediate swearing-in of Tanko Muhammed as Acting CJN last Friday.
Indication also emerged that the president hurriedly suspended Onnoghen because he was afraid of 2019 election petition tribunals, the then CJN was to inaugurate last Saturday which the new CJN has now undertook.
President Buhari was said to have observed corruption cases before the courts when Onnoghen was CJN, noticing series of rulings and judgments not in favour of the presidency. On this premise, the president was said to have been scared that if Onnoghen constitutes the 2019 elections petitions tribunals, the ruling APC will lose a lot of election cases in courts.
The reconvening of the Senate on Tuesday, January 29 may not have been unconnected with the suspension of Onnoghen.
One Response