Chief Edwin Clark, a prominent elder statesman and leader of the Ijaw nation, has accused former President Muhammadu Buhari and former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), of oppressing and humiliating former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen.
Clark alleged that Buhari’s removal of Onnoghen was a calculated effort to shield themselves from scrutiny and to carry out “the mess and mischievous actions” they had planned during the 2019 presidential election.
Clark made these claims in a letter to the current Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, dated Sunday. In the letter, he praised the recent Court of Appeal ruling that acquitted Justice Onnoghen of all charges related to the false declaration of assets, following a settlement with the Federal Government.
The Ijaw leader also criticized the suspension of Justice Onnoghen by President Buhari, pointing out that the Constitution designates the power to appoint and suspend the Chief Justice of Nigeria to the President, National Judicial Council, and National Assembly, not solely to the President.
Additionally, Clark urged President Bola Tinubu to avoid fostering an environment where “sacred cows” are allowed to thrive, emphasizing that the Constitution does not grant former Presidents immunity for life.
Clark said, “As for the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, in his own case, ‘a Daniel has come to judgment’. I knew he was not fairly treated; he was oppressed and humiliated by President Muhammadu Buhari and his Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN).
“At this juncture, let me say this: President Tinubu’s government must not allow sacred cows to exist in Nigeria, no matter whose ox is gored. There is no one who is above the law in his own country. A president of a country is just one of the ordinary members in the country, but once elected, enjoys immunity. There is nowhere therefore in the constitution or any legal document where it is stated that immunity is for life.
“Today in Nigeria, we have corrupt Presidents and some of them today are accusing their successors of corruption without looking back at what they themselves stole while in office but no one dares to touch them. Perhaps, it is an irony of fate for the former CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen, who was one of the Supreme Court Justices whose judgment favored President Muhammadu Buhari in his presidential election case in the Supreme Court in 2011.”
Clark also alleged that the former President removed Onnoghen from his position as CJN prior to the 2019 general elections because of “the mess and mischievous things they wanted to carry out,” during the elections, again describing Buhari’s actions as “disgraceful, callous, unjust and so barbaric”.
“He (Buhari) allowed him to rise to the post of CJN but he saw that, that was not good enough for him because if Justice Onnoghen was to remain the CJN, the mess and mischievous things they wanted to carry out during the presidential election in 2019, Justice Onnoghen would not accept it and the best thing was to remove him, and this was the secret plan between President Buhari and his Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.
“The show of shame that took place at the time was so disgraceful, callous, unjust and so barbaric that instead the President of Nigeria, who swore to an oath of office that he would maintain security and welfare of Nigerians, chose to stoop so low in order to humiliate a fellow Nigerian because he wanted to be President of Nigeria at all costs for a second term. It is a shame which Nigeria has just recovered from,” he stated.
The former Commissioner for Information criticized the lack of response from both the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the National Judicial Council (NJC) during the removal of Justice Walter Onnoghen from office. He, however, expressed his approval of the Court of Appeal’s judgment, which acquitted Justice Onnoghen, and praised Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun for her role in the decision.
“I am truly pleased to learn that both the judiciary, particularly the Court of Appeal, and the former CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen, have reached an amicable settlement,” Clark stated.
“I wholeheartedly congratulate him for enduring the ordeal imposed by the former President. I pray for his protection and hope he continues to find the courage to stand up for his rights, because Nigeria belongs to all of us and we are all equal citizens.”
Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to former President Buhari, declined to comment on the matter.
READ ALSO: Appeal Court acquits former CJN Onnoghen
However, an unnamed official from the previous administration, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to lack of authorisation, defended the decision to suspend Onnoghen. The official argued that the suspension was fully justified according to existing laws at the time.
The official said, “The case before the Code of Conduct Tribunal against Onoghen was the non-declaration of assets, an offence against the laws of the land, the Constitution. The records are there at the Code of Conduct Bureau that Onoghen had never declared his assets, but only twice: when he was appointed as acting CJN and when he was appointed as CJN.
“That was the only time he declared his assets. Never, as a high court judge, appeal or Supreme Court Justice. And he admitted that he didn’t declare his assets. And all these bank assets that they said should be released to him, the truth is, even when he declared as CJN, he did not declare those assets. But the man, by his admission, said that he did not declare. Is that not enough to fire him?
“So, if the government of the day decides that he has not committed any offence and that they have waived it off, then they can let him off the hook. That is a political decision.”
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