Onnoghen’s removal as CJN barbaric, unjust – Edwin Clark
Elder statesman, Edwin Clark, has described the removal of former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, as disgraceful, callous, unjust and so barbaric.
This is as he commended Chief Justice of Nigeria, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, for her decisive actions in resolving what he called the injustices faced by one of her predecessors.
The former minister and former secretary of Nigerian Bar Association, Warri branch, commended the CJN through an open letter.
“I have today decided to extol the Chief Justice of Nigeria for resolving into finality the humiliation meted to the brilliant former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen,” Clark said.
The elder statesman recalled that it is his second open letter to Kekere-Ekun, praising her for her appointment as CJN following the end of Justice Olukayode Ariwoola’s tenure, which he said was leading Nigeria deep into unknown destination.
While highlighting the significance of cleaning up the judiciary, Clark noted that many Nigerians since then have congratulated her for starting the serious and genuine clean-up of the Nigerian Judiciary, including all its associates.
Clark faulted Buhari for his action against Onnoghen, which he said remains a shame that Nigeria has just recovered from.
He added, “Is it not disgraceful and unpatriotic to invite such a person to council of state meetings, public functions or any government functions, pretending these were good Head of State and President of Nigeria? No.
“I was much concerned about the injustice that was being executed by President Buhari with impunity. To humiliate a whole Chief Justice of Nigeria, another tier of the government, must be condemned and in fact brought to trial in the law court for this unpatriotic act,” he said.
The elder statesman said Buhari saw Onnoghen’s principled stance and independence as a threat to his second-term bid, which made his removal a calculated move.
He therefore urged President Bola Tinubu’s government not to allow sacred cows to exist in Nigeria regardless of who is involved.
Recall that the Court of Appeal in Abuja, on November 4 discharged and acquitted Justice Onnoghen from his conviction of false assets declaration by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
The appellate court threw out the conviction of Onnoghen after the resolution of the issues that led to his trial and conviction.
In his ruling, the Presiding Justice, Justice Abba Mohammed, adopted the terms of settlement between the federal government and Onnoghen.
He also ordered that the four bank accounts of the former CJN forfeited be returned to him.
ex-President Muhammadu Buhari had on January 25, 2019, about 29 days before the presidential election, suspended Onnoghen from office as the CJN and swore in the next most senior jurist of the Supreme Court, Justice Tanko Muhammad, to take over the leadership of the judiciary.
