The Coalition of United Political
Parties, CUPP, has alleged that the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike
Amaechi and Governor of Kaduna State Nasir El-Rufai are sponsoring the plot to
arrest and remove the Chief Justice of Nigeria, NJC, Justice Walter Onnoghen on
Tuesday.
The opposition coalition alleged
that the plot was concluded in a meeting held in Abuja, Thursday night by the
cabal in government, led by Amaechi.
Reading a prepared text before
newsmen in Abuja, through its 1st National Spokesperson, Ikenga Ugochinyere,
the body alleged that Justice Danladi Umar was specifically directed to ignore
last week’s court orders which restrained the federal government through its
agents from arresting the CJN pending the determination of the case.
It alleged that the cabal planned
to name the Deputy Chairman of the National Judicial Council, Justice Mohammed
Tanko as the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria once Onnoghen was arrested.
CUPP also alleged that the Buhari
led-APC was intimidating NJC members to move against CJN Onnoghen and pave way
for Tanko Mohammed, vowing that the opposition would” fight till the end and
frustrate APC plot to annex the Supreme Court .”
CUPP said “the CJN can only be
removed in line with section 292 of the constitution.”
The CUPP added, “It with a heavy
heart that we have summoned you today to notify the world that democracy is in
clear and present danger in Nigeria. The cabal of the Presidency have just
concluded a meeting last night where they have now set the stage to burn down
the institution of democracy and constitutional governance for the purpose of
achieving a narrow aim of annexing the judiciary.
“Just few hours after our release
of the secret letter directing the freezing of the account of the CJN illegally
without a Court order, these men have at the end of their meeting last night
directed the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Mr. Danladi Umar to
disregard the Order of the Federal High Court, Abuja which has directed the
Tribunal to maintain status quo and go ahead to issue a bench warrant on the
next adjourned date being Tuesday the 22nd January, 2019 in the event the CJN
does not appear in Court.
“The meeting of the Presidency
cabal also resolved and directed the new Ag. Inspector General of Police that
the immediate arrest of the CJN on the same Tuesday as effort will be made to
ensure he is served with the order same day, following the issuance of the
arrest warrant would be his litmus test for his speedy confirmation as the
substantive Inspector General.
“They further resolved that
another petition would now be forwarded to the National Judicial Council and
that petition has already been drafted in the Chambers of a Senior Advocate of
Nigeria. This petition will precede the other frivolous and trumped up
allegations which will be submitted against Justice Mary Peter-Odili, Justice
Cletus Nweze and Justice Rhodes Vivour just to scare them away and tarnish
their good names.
“Those in the meeting were Rotimi
Amechi, Nasir El-Rufai, Abubakar Malami, Boss Mustapha, and the Senior Advocate
of Nigeria working with Rotimi Amechi who drafted the petition. The President
is aware of this plot as the meeting rose with the resolution that Rotimi
Amechi and El-Rufai would go to brief the President immediately.
“The President has weaponized his
failed fight against corruption. The Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal
was once again reminded of his pending criminal charges and conscripted that as
long as he issued the arrest warrant nobody will move against him. Nigerians,
the said charges against the Chairman of the Tribunal has already been filed
and is being handled by the Spokesman of the Buhari Campaign Organization, Mr.
Festus Keyamo. This is a copy of the charge already filed.
”The plan on Tuesday to get
Danladi Umar to issue a bench warrant against the CJN; the plan on Tuesday to
get the Ag, IGP to arrest the CJN and the plan on Tuesday to forcibly arraign
the CJN are solely aimed at forcing the CJN out of office hence paving the way
for a well-known pro-Buhari Judge, Justice Tanko Mohammed who is the Deputy
Chaiman of the NJC to take over and do all their bidding.
“Let it be known that unless and
until the CJN is found guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction, he will not
resign! Know ye all men and let the lips of the opposition be read clearly; and
let the ears of President Muhammadu Buhari open and hear this: Amechi, Malami,
El-Rufai, Boss Mustapha and other members of the cabal that are sponsoring this
inglorious offensive against the judiciary in a bid to turn it into an
appendage of the APC will fail. We will resist this attempt.
“This is the bridge and it must
not fall, we cannot retreat beyond this point and Justice Walter Onnoghen will
not be illegally removed from office. God forbid! God forbid!! God forbid they
succeed.
“They want to force him out at
all cost and put an acting CJN who’s bidding will include setting up appeal
panels to resolve the Rivers and Zamfara APC crisis in favour of the APC and
the other States where they fear they will lose elections including Akwa Ibom
State, Delta State, Lagos state, Benue State, Imo State, Kwara State, Plateau
state, Kaduna State, Abia State and Sokoto State and also constitute a pro
Buhari post presidential election Tribunal.
“The CJN may not speak out
because of the demands of his office but we will not as the opposition, the
bearers of the conscience and consciousness of the Nigerian people keep quiet
and allow these felons to desecrate the Nigerian judiciary.
”The only way the CJN can leave
office is by Section 292 of the Constitution or by a proper conviction and not
by stepping aside from the NJC. We are shouting it from the roof tops; let them
put the CJN in handcuffs, let Danladi Umar in dancing to the tune of his APC
blackmailers and issue arrest warrant, let the IG dance to the tune of the
litmus test of arresting the CJN, let the APC funded petition be brought to the
NJC, Justice Onnoghen will not be forced out of office.
“President Buhari! President
Buhari! President Buhari! It is time to apply your brakes! Do not allow your
political children who learnt their politics from the manual of Mobutu Seseseko,
Idi Amin and Nkurunzizia lead you to burn down and destroy the institution of
the judiciary and burn down Nigeria. It is on that note that we call on Justice
Tanko Mohammed to stay away from these people and refuse that poisoned chalice
that will destroy permanently the institution of the judiciary.
“Furthermore, there is also an
ongoing pressure on the members of the NJC and moves to conscript them to force
the CJN out of office. Nigerians must rise now before this final bridge of the
semblance of constitutional governance falls. Once again we shout; if you are
sleeping- wake up; if you are eating- stop; if you are playing- stop; the
enemies have gotten to the last bridge and it is either we stop them or we lose
our country.
“We must all stand up now. The
court is the last hope of the common man, if they take over we shall be made
slaves in our fatherland and the fundamental rights of citizens will become
luxury.
“We call on the Nigeria Bar
Association to take up this matter and speak on behalf of the Bench.
Progressive and conscious lawyers should all march to the Tribunal on Tuesday
and stand shoulder to shoulder with the opposition to salvage the conquest of
the judiciary from anti-democratic forces.”
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Let's wait to see what happens on Tuesday. This revelations will make or mar cupp's Ikenga Chinyereufo
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