There was a protest on Monday by members of the National Interest Defenders and Lawyers in Defense of Democracy over the suspension of Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen.
President Muhammadu Buhari has removed Onnoghen and swore-in Tanko Mohammed as acting chief justice of Nigeria on Friday.
The protesters on called on the president to rescind his decision and return Onnoghen.
Speaking at the joint rally group with lawyers in defence of democracy and civil society groups protesting against the suspension of Justice Walter Onnoghen and the swearing-in of Justice Ibrahim Tanko as acting CJN by President Muhammad Buhari at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) US Embassy and the Nigerian Judicial Council (NJC), the national co-convener of the National Defenders Defenders, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere said Nigerians are willing to show the world that, “ our faith is unwavering, our resolve unflinching and our commitment to salvaging our country is unshakable”.
“We have gathered here today from far and near because we believe that in troubled and uneasy times like this, the hope of the people lies in those who see something wrong and revolt against”, he said.
He said, “It is shameful that President Muhammadu Buhari relied on and used a forged and fictitious Tribunal Order to purport to suspend the CJN and appoint a factional Chief Justice, knowing that the Order was forged and fictitious”.
He said, as far as there was a Motion challenging the jurisdiction of the Tribunal, it had absolutely no jurisdiction to hear any other Motion let alone grant same without first dispensing with the Motion challenging its jurisdiction.
“Anything done by a Court or Tribunal without first deciding on whether it has jurisdiction or not is ultra vires, unlawful and done without requisite jurisdiction and cannot stand.
“The Presidency could have only gotten the Tribunal Chairman to do this by drawing the leash they have on his neck which is the criminal charge filed against him at the Federal High Court.
“That charge is now their weapon they utilize to get the Tribunal Chairman to do anything and everything they want, no matter how despicable.
“The President has viciously, brutally, ferociously and gruesomely violated the Constitution which he swore to uphold. This is an act that amounts to gross misconduct and it most certainly warrants his removal of office”, he added.
The protesters called on the National Assembly to, as a matter of urgency, national importance and patriotism commence without any delay the impeachment process of the President.
“We call on the NBA and the NJC to end the impunity”, he said and added that, the swearing in of a factional CJN called Tanko Mohammed was an act of treason as the Tribunal order purportedly used was a forged document issued by Danladi Umar and backdated to even a date before the main charge was filed.
“The NJC and NBA must order the shutdown of the courts until the illegal suspension of the CJN is lifted and the impostor CJN justice Tanko Mohammed made to vacate the office.
“The NJC must expel Justice Tanko Mohammed from the bench for accepting an illegal appointment in violation of the constitution and the NJC rules of engagement. The NBA must direct lawyers to boycott the Code of Conduct Tribunal presided over by Danladi Umar until disciplinary action is served on Umar for issuing a fake order that paved the way for impunity”’ he said.
He also called on the National Assembly to also commence an action for the removal from office of the Chairman of the CCT, who had criminal charges against him and still sits in office dumped Nigeria in a state of constitutional hiatus by criminally ordering the removal of the Chief Justice of Nigeria.
“We also want to raise the alarm of plot to manufacture petitions against the 3 most senior justices of the Supreme Court to ensure their removal through the back door, to pave way for the final annexation of the Supreme Court.
“We are aware of ongoing pressure on the Appeal court judges hearing the Appeal of the CJN Justice Walter Onnoghen to stop them from quashing the fake dark order issued by the Danladi Umar Tribunal upon which the assault on our Nations judiciary was based” he said and called on the Appeal Court judges to stand firm and do the right thing.
The protesters carried placards of various inscriptions, including, “Tanko Mohammed, stop parading yourself as CJN;” NBA must act now by ordering lawyers to down tool;” “Amaechi, El-Rufai, Akpabio, Malami, APC: brains behind Onnoghen’s trial;” “NJC must reconvene now and expel Justice Tanko Mohammed,” among others.