The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has condemned the suspension of Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen, describing his replacement as “hasty”.
Ortom made this known in a Saturday statement through his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase.
According to the governor, Onnoghen’s suspension is “an attempt by the presidency to truncate democracy and throw the country into anarchy.”
The statement further read,”Governor Ortom states that by the unconstitutional sacking of the CJN, the presidency has demonstrated that it does not believe in the rule of law, due process and the principle of separation of powers.
“He says the suspension of the CJN is not only a slap on the judiciary but the action also exposes the present administration’s desperate self-succession bid at the expense of the country’s unity and its continued existence.
“The Governor wonders why the current administration which has no antecedent of respecting court orders acted swiftly relying on a ‘directive’ from the Code of Conduct Tribunal to suspend the CJN.
“He says the hurried removal of Justice Onnoghen appears to have the imprints of the cabal which the President’s wife said is running the government.
“Governor Ortom advises the presidency to remember that its integrity is at stake and should reverse the CJN’s suspension in the interest of the country.
“The Governor states that the All Progressives Congress administration has left no one in doubt regarding its agenda to manipulate the 2019 elections.
“He calls on all Nigerians to reject the illegal removal of CJN Onnoghen and every other attempt by the ruling APC to cause constitutional crisis in the country.”
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