Just In: Buhari Makes Shocking Revelation About Ex- CJN, How He Frustrated All Conscious Efforts To Curb Corruption

President Muhammadu Buhari says the Supreme Court under the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, frustrated his anti-corruption war. Buhari said this while delivering his speech at the swearing-in of Justice Ibrahim Muhammad as the acting CJN.

In this light, The President said, “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.”

In a related development, The dramatic suspension of Justice Walter Onnoghen as the Chief Justice of Nigeria by President Muhammad Buhari, and the subsequent swearing-in of Justice Tanko Muhammed as the Acting CJN have evoked the memory of last year’s compulsory retirement of then acting Chief Judge of Abia State, Justice Obisike Orji.

The National Judicial Council had, at its 85th meeting held on March 14, 2018, sanctioned Justice Orji by forcing him to go on a compulsory retirement for allowing himself to be sworn in as the Acting Chief Judge of Abia State without being recommended by the council.

Also, Both the suspension of Onnoghen and swearing-in of Muhammed in acting capacity by the President followed the same pattern of how Justice Theresa Uzokwe was suspended by the Abia State House of Assembly and Justice Orji subsequently sworn in as acting Chief Judge of the state by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.

In the same vein, While earlier placing Justice Orji on suspension in January 2018, the NJC said in a statement, “The suspension of the Chief Judge of Abia State (Justice Theresa Uzokwe) by the State House of Assembly without a prior recommendation by the National Judicial Council violates the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.