*Police seal off CJN’s office, eject supporting staff
*I’m still in charge, he tells Nigerians
*NBA asks lawyers to boycott Courts
As controversy continues to trail the recent suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen, Nigerians those in favor and against the President’s decision trooped out in their numbers to register their feelings yesterday on the issue.
While the pro Onnoghen protesters are demanding for his reinstatement and that the due process should be followed in the removal of the number one judicial officer, those in support of his removal are of the opinion that President Muhammadu Buhari is on track following his anti-corruption stance.
The protesters in their hundreds clashed at the National Secretariat of the Nigeria Bar Association, disrupting the planned meeting of the association aimed at taking a position in the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Street Urchins apparently hired to disrupt the meeting stormed the venue of the meeting located in the Central Business District of Abuja made it almost impossible for those against the suspension to air their views as they continuously shouted “ba mu aso, bamu aso.”
For about three hours, vehicular activities were disrupted by the protesters making it impossible for lawyers who were supposed to be part of the meeting gain access to the venue of the meeting, while those who came for the meeting were seen hanging around discussing in low tones.
Security men deployed to keep the peace had a hectic time trying to control the urchins and prevent them from attacking the lawyers present while some of them accused the media of taking side with the lawyers and not reporting their activities.
National Coordinator of the Advocacy for Civil Service and Justice, one of the groups protesting at the NBA Secretariat, Giwa Victor said they were not against the prosecution of Justice Onnoghen, but insist that due process must be followed in handling the issue.
He said “we are not saying that he should not be removed or prosecuted. What we are saying is that due process should be followed and the petition against him should be sent to the NJC for action. There is no law in the land that vests the President with the power to suspend the CJN. Due process has to be followed”
Co-Conveners of the National Interest defenders, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere who condemned the action of the President said the protest marks the beginning of civil action by Nigerians to reclaim their country from the grip of those who have treated “the Constitution with disdain, our principles of Constitutional governance with scorn and our democratic ethos with contempt and derision.”
He said it’s shameful that President Muhammadu Buhari relied on and used a forged and fictitious Tribunal Order to purport to suspend the Chief Justice of Nigeria and appoint a factional Chief Justice while knowing that the order was forged and fictitious.
“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 the 9th January 2019. The Purported Tribunal Order on which the President claimed he relied upon is also dated the same 9th January 2019. The Motion on Notice seeking the same prayers as the Purported Motion Exparte is dated 10th January 2019, the Charge filed was dated 10th January 2019 while the statement of the Chief Justice of Nigeria in answer to the petition was on the 11th of January, 2011”, he said.
He accused the President of violating the Constitution he swore to uphold, an action he said amounts to gross misconduct and it most certainly warrants his removal Of Office and asked the National Assembly to, as a matter of urgency, national importance and patriotism, commence without any delay the impeachment process of the President.
Meanwhile, the Police in the early hours of yesterday sealed off the office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen who was suspended by President Muhammadu Buhari last Friday; sources at the Supreme Court informed Nigerian Pilot.
In a move that appeared to stop any possibility of Onnoghen to access the office, Policemen were said to have sealed the office and ejected all administrative staff in the CJN office as early as 7 am.
One of the sources said, “The police have sealed the office of the CJN.”
“Officers and men of the Force went to the administrative staff offices at about 7 am and ordered clerical and other staff who were already at their desks to leave after which they locked up everywhere”, the source explained.
This came as the National Judicial Council has fixed today for an emergency meeting to deliberate on the sudden suspension of Onnoghen and swearing in of Justice Tanko Muhammad as the Acting CJN by President Buhari.
However, as the controversy rages, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen has denounced fresh reports insinuating that he has finally caved in to pressure and resigned his office as Chief Justice of Nigeria.
Speaking through his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Awassam Bassey, Onnoghen said such rumors were the handiwork of mischief makers saying “Mischief makers are still circulating this fake news. Once again, there is no truth in it whatsoever.”
“The Hon CJN, Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen has not resigned”, Bassey said in response to inquiries on an online publication reporting Onnoghen’s resignation.
Also yesterday the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA asked lawyers to boycott all Courts in Nigeria for two days and refrain from offering any form of legal service during the period.
The NBA, which had since condemned President Buhari’s action as a coup against the judiciary and a subversion of the Nigerian Constitution took the decision for lawyers to boycott all court-related activities, at the end of its National Executive Council, NEC meeting in Abuja.
