TheCable

Ayodele Fayose, governor of Ekiti state, has alleged that there is a plot to prevent Walter Onnoghen, the acting chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), from becoming the substantive head of the judiciary.

In a statement on Sunday, Fayose wondered why Onnoghen’s name had not been forwarded to the senate for confirmation.

He said a “cabal in Aso Rock” might want to Onnoghen by the jugular, using his “confirmation as substantive CJN to get him to assist them to pervert justice.”

The fierce critic of President Muhammadu Buhari said it is possible that the current administration is unhappy with the CJN because he hails from the south-south region.

“It is strange that despite that the National Judicial Council (NJC) recommended only Justice Onnoghen to President Muhammadu Buhari for appointment as the CJN in line with its rules, since October 13, 2018, his name was not sent to the senate for confirmation,” read the statement issued by Lere Olayinka, Fayose’s spokesman.

“This is the first time Nigeria is having an acting CJN for the first time in its history despite that Justice Onnoghen’s name was sent to President Muhammadu Buhari early enough.

“As at the time the NJC recommended Justice Onnoghen to President Buhari, it was 28 clear days to the November 10, 2016 retirement date of Justice Mahmud Mohammed.

“Why then was his (Justice Onnoghen) name not sent to the Senate for confirmation? Why appointing him as acting CJN when his name should have been sent to the senate between October 13, 2016, that he was recommended to the president and November 10, 2016 that Justice Mahmud Mohammed retired?

“Obviously, there is more to this acting CJN appointment than meet the eyes and in my opinion, it could be that President Buhari never wanted Justice Onnoghen as a substantive CJN because he is from the south-south or that they want to use his pending appointment as substantive CJN to make him do their bidding.”

Fayose charged “the leading lights in the legal profession” to avoid being subdued like the national assembly.

He also encouraged Onnoghen to discharge his responsibilities without fear or favour.

“They have subdued the national assembly and are now in the last stage of muscling democracy by subduing the judiciary,” he said.

“If men of good conscience, especially leading lights in the legal profession refuse to raise their voices against this tyranny, they will all be consumed by the tyrant.

“Playing politics with the judiciary, especially at the CJN level, is dangerous to the survival of democracy… Onnoghen should do his job without fear or favour, bearing in mind that it is only God that put people in positions.

“Justice Onnoghen must live above that temptation of wanting to be the substantive CJN at the expense of strict adherence to the rule of law and principles of democracy.

“He must resist any attempt to further gag the judiciary even if that will cost him his appointment as the substantive CJN.”