Lawyers, Civil society groups protest Onnoghen’s suspension

*Say order suspending Onnoghen forged

*Demand closure of courts

Andrew Orolua, Abuja

Hundreds of lawyers and members of National Interest Defenders, Lawyers in Defence of Democracy and other human rights groups on Monday in Abuja protested the unconstitutional suspension of Justice Walter Onnoghen by President Muhammadu Buhari. The activists converged at the headquarters of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) demanding among other things that the lawyers association arise in defense of democracy. They also urged justices and judges of courts across the country to shut down courts in solidarity with the CJN. Addressing protesters, the convener, National Interest Defenders, Mr Ikenga Ugochinyere, alleged that “President Muhammadu Buhari relied on and used a forged and fictitious tribunal order to suspend Justice Onnoghen. “Nigerians will recall that the petition served on the Code of Conduct Bureau against the Chief Justice of Nigeria was received by the Bureau on January 9. The purported Tribunal order on which the President claimed he relied upon was also dated the same January 9. “The Motion on Notice seeking the same prayers as the purported Motion Exparte was dated January 10, the charge filed was dated January 10 while the statement of the Chief Justice of Nigeria in answer to the petition was on January 11”, he stated. He added that from the above dates, it appeared that upon receipt of the petition, the first action of the Bureau was to file a Motion Exparte, asking the Chief Justice to vacate office while Justice Tanko Mohammed be sworn in even before commencement of investigation into the matter, before the Chief Justice was approached to make a statement and even before charges were filed against him. In view of the above, the group accused President Buhari of violating the Constitution which he swore to uphold. “This is an act that amounts to gross misconduct and it most certainly warrants his removal of office. “The National Assembly should as a matter of urgency, national importance and patriotism, commence without any delay the impeachment process of the President. “We also call on the Nigerian Bar Association and the National Judicial Council NJC to decide whether the impunity should be allowed to stand. “The NJC and NBA must order the shutdown of the courts until the illegal suspension of the CJN is lifted and the impostor CJN justice Tanko Mohammed made to vacate the office. “The NJC must expel Justice Tanko Mohammed from the bench for accepting an illegal appointment in violation of the constitution and the NJC rules of engagement. “The NBA must direct lawyers to boycott the Code of Conduct Tribunal presided over by Danladi Umar until disciplinary action is served on Umar for issuing a fake order that paved the way for impunity.” “The National Assembly should also immediately commence action for the removal from office of the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Mr. Danladi Umar, who, having criminal charges against him, still sits in office and dumped Nigeria in a state of constitutional hiatus.” Meanwhile, the protest was disrupted by another group of people in support of President Buhari’s action.