Uproar as Buhari suspends CJN Onnoghen

…Swears in Mohammed as acting CJN, says no one is above the law

…NBA, SANs, PDP, others kick, demand reversal of Onnoghen’s suspension

Mathew Dadiya, Tunde Opalana, Andrew Orolua, Abuja and Peter Fowoyo, Lagos

The suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeira (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, by President Muhammadu Buhari, on Friday, was greeted by uproar from Nigerians including Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), other lawyers, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) among others, who demanded the reversal of Onnoghen’s suspension. Buhari, who announced the suspension on Friday at 4:51pm at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, immediately swore in Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed as Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria. He said the suspension followed the order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) in a letter directing him to suspend Onnoghen, pending the completion of his trial. Justice Mohammed, who hails from Bauchi State, is the most senior justice of the Supreme Court. Speaking shortly before the announcement, Buhari said: “Justice Walter Onnoghen, since he has charges of corruption filed against him, would have acted smoothly to spare our judicial arm further disrepute by excusing himself from superintending over it while his trial will lasted. “I was served with an Order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal issued on Wednesday 23rd January 2019, directing the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Honourable Justice Walter Nkanu Samuel Onnoghen, from office pending final determination of the cases against him at the Code of Conduct Tribunal and several other fora relating to his alleged breach of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers. “The nation has been gripped by the tragic realities of no less a personality than the Chief Justice of Nigeria himself becoming the accused person in a corruption trial since details of the petition against him by a Civil Society Organisation first became public about a fortnight ago. “Although the allegations in the petition are grievous enough in themselves, the security agencies have since then traced other suspicious transactions running into millions of dollars to the CJN’s personal accounts, all undeclared or improperly declared as required by law. “Perhaps more worrisome is the Chief Justice of Nigeria’s own written admission to the charges that he indeed failed to follow the spirit and letter of the law in declaring his assets, citing ’’mistake’’ and ’’forgetfulness’’ which are totally unknown to our laws as defences in the circumstances of his case. “One expected that with his moral authority so wounded, by these serious charges of corruption, more so by his own written admission, Mr. Justice Walter Onnoghen would have acted swiftly to spare our Judicial Arm further disrepute by removing himself from superintending over it while his trial lasted. “Unfortunately, he has not done so. Instead, the nation has been treated to the sordid spectacle of a judicial game of wits in which the Chief Justice of Nigeria and his legal team have made nonsense of the efforts of the Code of Conduct Tribunal to hear the allegation on merit and conclude the trial as quickly as possible considering the nature of the times in which we live. “Whether deliberately or inadvertently, we have all seen the full weight of the Chief Justice of Nigeria descend on the tender head of one of the organs of justice under his control. There is simply no way the officers of that court, from the Chairman to the bailiffs, can pretend to be unaffected by the influence of the leader of the Judiciary. “Not only the trial court, but others have been put on the spot. Practically every other day since his trial commenced, the nation has witnessed various courts granting orders and counter-orders in favour of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, all of them characterised by an unholy alacrity between the time of filing, hearing and delivery of judgment in same. “The real effect has been a stalling of the trial of Justice Onnoghen, helped along by lawyers who insist that these orders, whether right or wrong are technically valid, and must be obeyed till an appellate Court says otherwise. No doubt, that it is the proper interpretation, but is it the right disposition for our nation? “Nigeria is a constitutional democracy and no one must be, or be seen to be, above the law. Unfortunately, the drama around the trial of the Chief Justice of Nigeria has challenged that pillar of justice in the perception of the ordinary man on the street. For it is certain that no ordinary Nigerian can get the swift and special treatment Justice Onnoghen has enjoyed from his subordinates and privies in our Judicature. “In the midst of all these distracting events, the essential question of whether the accused CJN actually has a case to answer has been lost in the squabble over the form and nature of his trial. This should not be so. “If Justice cannot be done and clearly seen to be done, society itself is at risk of the most unimaginable chaos. As a Government, we cannot stand by wailing and wringing our hands helplessly but give our full backing and support to those brave elements within the Judiciary who act forthrightly, irrespective of who is involved. “As you are all aware, the fight against corruption is one of the tripod of policies promised to Nigerians by this administration. Needless to say that it is an existential Policy which must be given adequate attention and commitment by all the three arms of government. The efforts of the Executive will amount to nothing without the cooperation of the Legislature and especially the Judiciary. “It is no secret that this government is dissatisfied with the alarming rate in which the Supreme Court of Nigeria under the oversight of Justice Walter Onnoghen has serially set free, persons accused of the most dire acts of corruption, often on mere technicalities, and after quite a number of them have been convicted by the trial and appellate courts. “Since there is nothing the Executive Arm can do after the apex court of the land has spoken on any matter, several of these individuals walk free among us today, enjoying what are clearly the proceeds of the corruption which for so long has defeated the efforts of this nation to develop and prosper. “It is against this background that I have received the Order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal directing me to suspend the Chief Justice pending final determination of the cases against him. It also explains why I am not only complying immediately, but with some degree of relief for the battered sensibilities of ordinary Nigerians whose patience must have become severely over-taxed by these anomalies. “In line with this administration’s avowed respect for the Rule of Law, I have wholeheartedly obeyed the Order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal dated 23rd January 2019. “Accordingly, I hereby suspend the Honourable Mr. Justice Walter Nkanu Samuel Onnoghen, GCON as the Chief Justice of Nigeria pending final determination of the case against him at the Code of Conduct Tribunal. “In further compliance with the same Order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, I hereby invite Honourable Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed JSC, being the next most Senior Justice in the Supreme Court, to come forward to take the Judicial Oath as Chief Justice of Nigeria in an Acting Capacity. “Fellow Nigerians, we can only stand a chance to win the fight against Corruption, and position our dear nation for accelerated development when we stand together to contend against it.” Some of the cabinet members present during the swearing-in of Justice Mohmmaed included the National Security Adviser (NSA), Inspector General of Police, NIA DG, ministers of Transport, Justice, Foreign Affairs, Finance, Minister of State Education, and the national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), amongst others. In a sharp reaction, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) condemned the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, describing the President’s action as a coup against the nation’s Judiciary. The NBA President, Paul Usoro SAN, who made the position of the association known in a statement, while stating that the body rejects the President’s action in its entirety, added that it amounts to suspending the nation’s constitution. The NBA urged the Executive to avert what it described as a looming constitutional crisis precipitated by its ill-advised action by reversing Onnoghen’s suspension. “The Nigerian Bar Association unequivocally rejects and condemns this attempted coup against the Nigerian Judiciary and evident suspension of the Nigerian Constitution by the Executive arm of the Federal Government. The action of the Executive portends a slide into anarchy and complete deconstruction of the Rule of Law and due process. It amounts to an absolute breach of the Constitution and the usurpation of the powers of the Senate and the Nigerian Judicial Council. “It is unfortunate that the Executive Branch of Government purports to suspend the CJN on the basis of an alleged ex-parte order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal – the same Tribunal that, to the knowledge of the Executive, had, only the previous day, Tuesday, 22 January 2019 adjourned its proceedings to Monday, 28 January 2019 and has before it a Motion on Notice that is yet to be argued, seeking the same reliefs as were contained in the purported ex-parte application, to wit, the suspension of the CJN, amongst others. “We call on the Federal Government to avert the looming constitutional crisis precipitated by its ill-advised action. In particular, the Nigerian Bar Association demands the reversal of the purported suspension of Honorable Mr. Justice Walter S C Onnoghen, GCON”, part of the statement read. The NBA however called on the National Assembly to assert its constitutional authority and powers and prevent what it says is a slide into chaos and erosion of the Rule of Law. Onnoghen: Agbakoba, Ozekhome call on Bar, Bench to gown tools Reacting, former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Dr. Olisa Agbakoba SAN, on Friday, called on both the Bar and the Bench to down tools in protest of the removal of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressive Congress (APC). In an exclusive interview with The Daily Times, Dr. Agbakoba SAN, said: “The news has come to me as very shocking and initially unbelievable. I didn’t know we will come to see a day when Nigerian President will be the one that would most brazenly denigrate the Nigerian constitution, not even under Abacha or IBB had the gut to remove the CJN in a manner that he has been removed. “It is shocking and I’m disappointed at the CCT because the CCT just last week adjourned the proceedings in respect of the CJN till next week to rule on whether it has jurisdiction, which meant that it has noticed there was a challenge to its jurisdiction only for the same CCT to now go back and take ex parte application by the Attorney General of the Federation and suspended the CJN. “There is a huge conspiracy here, very huge conspiracy and it makes me to wonder the stories floating around about the government determination to remove the CJN by all means is not true and whether they are doing this because of the elections, I don’t know but, all this has made me to rethink why will this CCT go behind and entertain an ex parte application to remove a person as high as the CJN in an ex parte method. “That is incredible when the CCT has received an application challenging its own jurisdiction and when the appeal court has asked everyone to stay proceedings till it can hear the appeal and the order of the appeal court is binding on the President of Nigeria. He is well aware of the order of the appeal court. “It leaves a very soar taste in the mouth. It’s the worst ever, in my view, denigration of our constitution. And for me, as I said in the meeting of senior legal entities, we should have taken strong actions when this happened but, people are saying let us toe a middle course now they see what has happened. “I would expect that now that it has happened, the legal profession should be prepared to down tools. All Judges must withdraw from court beginning from tomorrow, until this is sorted out. All lawyers must withdraw from court beginning from tomorrow. Let us see if this country can survive without the rule of law and democracy. “The last iota of respect I have for this President is gone if he can denigrate our constitution and expect us to vote for him in three weeks then he has another story coming. Another constitutional lawyer and right activist, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, condemned the action of the President, stating that Nigerians must rise up in defence of democracy and the rule of law. His words: “The alleged suspension from office of the CJN is the vilest, thieving, most despicable, ultravires, undemocratic and brazenly unconstitutional act ever carried out by any government in Nigeria, civilian or military, since 1st January, 1914, when the contraption called Nigeria was forcibly contrived through the amalgamation of Northern and Southern Protectorates. “The desperate act of a sit-tight president constitutes a direct suspension of the Nigerian Constitution and the entire democratic process. It has finally removed the remaining veneer of pretension to democratic credentials by Buhari and his all- conquering cabal. Welcome, Nigerians, to full blown dictatorship, absolutism, authoritarianism and fascism. “Buhari has behaved worse than what he was as a military tyrant. Military juntas always only suspended parts of the Constitution they did not like. But, by torpedoing the entire judiciary, rule of law and due process, including four valid High Court/Federal High Court rulings and Thursday’s ruling by the Court of Appeal, all of them staying proceedings of the phoney and funny charges levelled against Onnoghen before the CCT, Nigerians now know that we have now become an endangered species. “It means that the next election is nothing more than a ritualistic outing to illegally confer life presidency (not just 4 years) on Buhari. There is no known basis, legal, constitutional or moral, to hurriedly bypass courts of law, the judicial process and court orders, to illegally remove the CJN and swear in an Acting CJN. “The provisions of section 292(2) of the 1999 Constitution are quite clear on how the CJN can be removed from office. Aside sections 153,158 and parts 1 and 2 of the 3rd schedule to the Constitution which provide that a judicial officer cannot be removed from office until he has first been tried and dealt with by the National Judicial Council (NJC), section 292(2) makes it clear that the president can only remove the CJN from office before the age of his retirement, “acting on an address supported by two-thirds majority of the Senate. “When did the Senate meet to donate this power to the president? Never. The president has illegally and unconstitutionally stripped both the judiciary and the Legislature bare of their constitutional functions, usurped their powers and enthroned maximum dictatorship over the affairs of Nigeria, like Louis X14 once did when he stood in front of parliament, beat his chest imperiously and declared,”l’est tat c’est moi”(I am the state). “The ill-advised action does not only assault our noble sense of humanity and dignity as decent Nigerians, it also violently desecrates the principles of rule of law as espoused by Prof A.V. Dicey and the hallowed doctrine of separation of powers as ably propounded in 1748 by the great French Philosopher, Baron De Montesque. “Nigerians should brace up, come out enmasse, to protest against this illegality. We are back to full Abacha era, as OBJ rightly noted three days ago in his patriotic letter to Nigerians. Nigerian lawyers and the NBA should shut down all courts in Nigeria until the CJN is returned to his seat. This was achieved even under military dictatorship in Pakistan, when former Pakistani president, Pervez Musharraf illegally removed from office, the then Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry on 11th March, 2007. All the lawyers went on strike, from 15th March, 2007, shut down the courts and protested on the streets for months, until a panel of 7 members of the Supreme Court sat and held that the removal was illegal and reinstated the Chief Justice. “Nigerian lawyers should act now. The NASS should also shut down in protest and allow Buhari and his cabal have their jolly ride over cowed, hapless, vanquished and conquered Nigerians. There is no more democracy in Nigeria. It is as dead as ‘dodo’. The coming presidential election is but a mere charade to confer legitimacy on a pre-rigged, on-the-spot rigged and post-rigged election. “The pretentious chicken has finally come home to roost. This recent act is a big scandalous shame on the Buhari government, assuming it still knows anything called shame. It has tainted it with the paint brush of odium, oblique and international derisions. The international community should weigh in immediately to prevent Nigeria from burning”. Reacting, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ahmed Raji, said while the President claimed he had relied on the ex parte order issued by the CCT, the question remains how did the order come about. He further submitted that it is pertinent to ask whether the order was properly and regularly issued. On the question on whether the said order can be reversed or set aside, Raji categorically emphasised that, “Any ex parte order can be set aside especially when Parties have already joined issues on the point and matter already adjourned to a later date”. Another Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chukwuma -Machukwu Ume, said he received news of Justice Walter Onnoghen suspension with great shock, and asked, “When did the CCT give the order? PDP, Atiku reject Onnoghen’s suspension Reacting to the Onnoghen’s suspension, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said the attempts by President Buhari to foist an illegal Chief Justice on the nation while the substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, is still in office cannot stand. The PDP firmly held that such impunity cannot stand, as Nigeria is a nation governed by law and not by the whims and caprices of a dictatorial leader, saying it will not allow President Buhari to ruin the country. The party asked Nigerians to reject the incendiary move by President Buhari to forcefully suspend the constitution, annex the judicial arm of government and open the nation up for full-blown totalitarianism to achieve his self-succession bid, having realised that he cannot win in the 2019 general election. In a statement by the Director of Media and Publicity, PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party said that President Buhari’s action in attempting to unilaterally appoint a Chief Justice and foist him on the country is a direct invitation to anarchy, national confusion and a monumental crisis capable of derailing Nigeria’s democracy and destroying its corporate existence as a nation. He said: “It is now clear to the world that President Buhari, in his selfish self-succession bid, is out to cause mayhem in our nation and truncate the smooth conduct of the 2019 election, not minding the consequential human and material losses. “There can be no two Chief Justices of Nigeria. Our constitution is clear on how a Chief Justice is appointed and removed as such does not lie on the prerogative of the President. As such, we urge all Nigerians and the international community to recognize only Justice Walter Onnoghen as the Chief Justice of Nigeria”. The PDP invited the international community and particularly the United States and the United Kingdom to note that this assault on the judiciary is geared towards subverting the 2019 general election and as such immediately list President Buhari and APC leaders for proposed sanctions on election riggers and perpetrators of violence in the general election. The party said it is a known fact that the Buhari administration has been trying to compromise the electoral process, including the refusal to sign the amendment to the Electoral Act, as well as the foisting of Mr. President’s relation by marriage, Mrs. Amina Zakari, to coordinate the collation of Presidential election results. “The PDP wants President Buhari to know that this nation belongs to all Nigerians. Our nation is a democratic state governed by the constitution and the law and Nigerians will never allow anybody to appropriate rulership to himself outside the dictates of the law. “President Buhari tried to forcefully remove the leadership of the National Assembly and failed. His attempt to annex the judiciary and impose a Chief Justice that will surrender the judiciary to him, is also already dead on arrival”. The PDP called on the National Assembly to immediately reconvene and proceed with legislative actions against President Buhari for this gross misconduct. Meanwhile, the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar described President Buhari’s action as an act of dictatorship taken too far. Rejecting the suspension, Atiku charged Justice Onnoghen and the judiciary to resist the suspension with every legal and constitutional means that they can muster. Atiku said: “The brazen dictatorial act is the latest action in the ongoing rape of our nation’s hard earned democracy by those who dined with anti-democratic forces, and is symptomatic of the increasing desperation that President Buhari and the cabal pulling the strings have as February 16, 2019 draws near. “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. Indeed, it is not just the CJN that has been “suspended”, it is the Nigerian Constitution that has been infracted and, in effect, suspended, under the guise of the suspension of the CJN. “The case involving the legality or otherwise of the charges against Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen is in court, as it should be. So far, the judiciary has ruled in Justice Onnoghen’s favour. So, why not allow the court to adjudicate on the matter? What is the pressing urgency? “I want to seize this opportunity to call for unity amongst the judiciary. Do not let the Muhammadu Buhari administration divide you. Do not let this government turn you against yourselves. The judiciary is the last hope of the common man and the defender of our democracy. “I also urge the international community to follow the commendable example of the United States and the United Kingdom by intervening to make those involved in this undemocratic act know that their actions will have consequences. Strong consequences”. The former vice president called on the Nigerian electorate to save 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”, he said. Saraki, CUPP, IYC react Meanwhile, Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has described the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Walter Onoghen by President Buhari as a coup against democracy and a deliberate attempt to endanger our hard-won democracy. Saraki, in a statement personally signed by him, stated that the suspension was another act of desperation by President Buhari. He noted that by the suspension of the CJN, Buhari has acted outside the provision of the constitution, and has exercised the powers which he does not have and that this action amounted to gross misconduct. “This is an action aimed at undermining the nation’s judiciary, subverting the constitution, intimidating judges of all the courts of record, and creating uncertainty in the electoral process, thereby laying the foundation for influencing the outcome of litigations that might arise from next month’s elections. “There are already the general belief that this hasty action was taken to pre-empt the already scheduled inauguration of election petition tribunals by Hon. Justice Onnoghen and to destroy national institutions that are perceived to be unco-operative in his bid to manipulate the electoral process leading to next month’s general election. “By unilaterally suspending the CJN without following the provision of the constitution, President Buhari has taken an action which amounted to gross misconduct. He has simply sent a dangerous signal to the entire world that Nigeria is no longer a democratic nation and that we have returned to the old, jaded era of military dictatorship. “Our constitution makes no provision for suspension of the nation’s highest judicial officer. The constitution provides a clear process for removal of the CJN and specify the roles of the three arms of government, beginning from the National Judicial Council (NJC), the National Assembly and lastly, the Presidency, have different roles to play in that process. There is no condition under which the President can usurp the powers of other arms of government. I do not know where the President and his advisers got this idea of suspending the CJN on the so-called order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal but this is novel, disingenuous and alien to our laws. “The President and his team must have seen this so-called suspension as a short-cut to getting Hon. Justice Onnoghen out of the way since the appellate court has eventually stopped the CCT from continuing with the trial of the CJN. It is strange that President Buhari is claiming to be taking orders from a Tribunal which has been ordered by a superior court to halt all actions on the trial. “With this action, President Buhari has initiated a process the consequence of which nobody can predict. They have precipitated a constitutional crisis. “At this point, all democratic institutions in the country, the international community and democrats across the world should rise against this blatant act of impunity. We should jointly condemn this retrogressive, uncivilized and despotic measure”, Saraki stated. He however called on President Buhari to immediately reverse this decision and allow the due process of law to take its natural course in determining the guilt or otherwise as well as the suitability of Hon. Justice Onnoghen to continue as the head of the nation’s judiciary. Also, the first national spokesman of the Coalition of United Political Parties, Imo Ugochinyere, described the suspension of CJN Onnoghen as a coup against the judiciary that must be resisted by all lovers of democracy. Ugochinyere, who said this in a statement made to newsmen in Abuja, said Buhari had, by his action, overthrown the constitutional order. He, therefore, called on the Senate to begin the process of removing the President from office. He also called on lawyers and others to begin to boycott courts in protest against Onnoghen’s suspension. The statement reads: “Buhari has finally overthrown constitutional governance. This factionalisation of the judiciary will not stand. “As far as the law of the land is concerned, Onnoghen remains the CJN. We will not recognise any other person who may be occupying that office illegally. “Justice Tanko Muhammed is a usurper. The NJC must sack him. Lawyers must ignore him as long as he remains on that seat. “Onnoghen’s illegal removal was aimed at stopping the swearing-in of members of the 2019 general election petition tribunal. “We have been vindicated on our earlier alarm that Buhari wants to appoint pro-APC CJN to help use the judiciary to affirm APC candidates in the 2019 pre- and post- election litigation. “We hereby call on lawyers, judges and judicial staffs to down tool immediately. This is the last battle and it must be won. “The NBA should immediately call out all lawyers. All courts must be shut now while nationwide protest against this impunity should also commence. “The CJN must remain in office and disregard this announcement as the President has no power to suspend him. “The Senate should reconvene now and start impeachment process against the President for acting against the provision of the Constitution he swore to uphold. “Buhari has shown with this development that he is the most cruel and barbaric President Nigeria ever had. “A man who rode to power on the basis of respect for the rule law and fundamental principles of democracy has chosen to play to the gallery of dictatorship to right elections. Let see how it goes. “But we know that this is going to be the beginning of democracy in Nigeria. The democratic institutions will fight back. Trust me it is the beginning of democracy in Nigeria. Out of adversity comes strength.” In its reaction, the Ijaw Youth Council (ITC) described the suspension of Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen by President Buhari as a coup against the nation’s democracy and rule of law. IYC, in a statement signed by its President, Eric Omare, on Friday, said the suspension of Justice Onnoghen and subsequent appointment of Justice Tanko Muhammed as the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria is a show of desperation and lack of respect for the rule of law. Omare said: “This is desperation taken too far and the IYC in the strongest terms condemn this display of impunity by President Buhari. This is the height of lawlessness and the greatest threat to democratic rule in Nigeria. The IYC call on President Buhari to immediately reverse this illegal, despicable and undemocratic decision. “We also call on Nigerians and all lovers of democracy, all over the world to rise up and defend our democracy in Nigeria. Anti-democratic forces who truncated democracy in the past must not be allowed to truncate democracy again.” The umbrella body for Ijaw youths worldwide posited that President Buhari lacked the power to suspend the former CJN and called for the immediate reversal of the decision. “This is a coup against democracy and the rule of law. Nigeria is under a constitutional democracy that is governed by the rule of law and the action by President Buhari lacks foundation in law. “President Buhari lacks the powers to suspend the Chief Justice of Nigeria without the recommendation of the National Judicial Council and It is even unthinkable to suspend Justice Onnoghen in the light of the multiple valid and subsisting orders of the National Industrial court, federal high court and the court of appeal which bars the Code of Conduct Tribunal from going on with the trial of Justice Onnoghen. “President Buhari claimed to have acted pursuant to an order of the CCT made on the 23rd of January, 2019, however, from the records of proceedings of the CCT, no such order was made. The pending motions are yet to be taken hence it is surprising for the President to be relying on a non-existing order,” the IYC stated.