The Supreme Court has made it
clear that it does not take orders from President Muhammadu Buhari, as it
remained an independent arm of government.
The apex court, in a statement
signed by the Director, Information and Press, Dr. Festus Akande, also denied
reports that six of its directors were behind the exit of former Chief Justice
of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen.
The statement reads: “It is
imperative to let the public know that the story is misleading, ill-informed
and obviously calculated to fan the ember of discord and as well whip up
premature sentiments.
“The Supreme Court of Nigeria is
an organised and well-structured arm of a government that is governed by
well-defined rules and regulations which all staff are expected to observe and
align within their daily operations.
“The Nigerian state, as it is
well known, has three arms of government which evidently make provision for the
Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary. As it is in practice, these three
arms are mutually independent and largely enjoy the separation of powers; thus
for anyone to insinuate that the executive or the President and
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, is the one dictating to the Chief
Justice of Nigeria on how to run the affairs of the Supreme Court or the kind
of disciplinary measures to mete out as a form of the internal discipline of
the staff for whatever reason is both false and logically defective.
“In his capacity as the head of
the Nigerian Judiciary and the Supreme Court in particular, as it was then, Hon
Justice Walter Onnoghen had no cause to seek external advice or intervention in
the discipline of his staff, if such the occasion had arisen. Similarly, the
alleged six directors or what the publication referred to as “ASCON 6” have no
cause or power whatsoever to plot against Justice Onnoghen as reported in the
publication.
“Let it be noted that the
President and Commander-in-Chief has never interfered or meddled into the
internal administration of the Supreme Court, let alone granting audience to
the six directors with a view to plotting Justice Onnoghen’s down fall on the
grounds that the former Chief Justice of Nigeria allegedly failed to heed to
the president’s advice of sacking them for the alleged “massive underhand
dealings.”
“As for the Finance and Accounts
Department of the Court, there is no power tussle between three directors, as
the current acting Director, Alhaji Gambo Ibrahim came in from the National
Judicial Institute on secondment for a specified duration which has not yet
elapsed.
“Once again, it is necessary to
caution peddlers of misleading and divisive rumours to always work in tandem
with their conscience before hitting the public domain with their usual
avalanche of falsehood that will end up doing no one any good. There is no
fracture or dislocation in the internal administrative mechanism of the Supreme
Court.
“Evidently, the entire
publication is replete with falsehood and garnished tales, as there is nothing
like “anti-Onnoghen campaign” group among the Honourable Justices of the Court.
This claim could aptly be taken as a fairy tale that only dwells in the
imagination of the author and his informants. The Supreme Court Justices have
no camps, groups or any form of division in their ranks as alleged. In reality,
they are even more united and cohesive in the discharge of their judicial
functions and service to their fatherland.”
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