Danjuma, Other Christian Elders Reject Onnoghen’s Suspension, ACF Backs Buhari

Danjuma, other Christian elders reject Onnoghen’s suspension, ACF backs Buhari
Published

January 31, 2019
Olalekan Adetayo, Chukwudi Akasike, Friday Olokor, Adelani Adepegba, Oluwatosin Omojuyigbe, Godwin Isenyo and Sampson Itode

The
National Christian Elders Forum on Wednesday protested against the
suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, by
President Muhammadu Buhari, describing it as an Islamic agenda.

The organisation called on Nigerians to mobilise themselves to resist the Islamists in the country.

The NCEF said the President’s decision to suspend Onnoghen was a “judicial coup.”

What
was surprising, it said, remained the apparent unwillingness of
Christians and other Nigerians to understand the core problem of the
country.

Members of the group include Lt.Gen. Theophilus Danjuma
(retd.), Solomon Asemota (SAN), Prof. Joseph Otubu, Gen. Joshua
Dogonyaro (retd.), Dr Kate Okpareke, Dr Ayo Abifarin, Gen. Zamani
Lekwot (retd.), Elder Moses Ihonde, Elder Nat Okoro and Elder Matthew
Owojaiye.

Others are Justice Kalajine Anigbogu (retd.), Elder
Shyngle Wigwe, a former Deputy Inspector-General of Police, L. Dabup,
Sir John W. Bagu, Dr Saleh Hussaini, Elder Mike Orobator, Justice James
Ogebe, JSC (retd.), Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Chief Debo Omotosho, Dame
Priscilla Kuye, Dr S. D. Gani, Mrs Osaretin Demuren and Prof. Yussuf
Turaki.

The NCEF’s statement, which was signed by its chairman,
Asemota, was titled, “CJN Onnoghen: What is really at stake and the way
out.”

The group said, “In 2015, Nigerians unwittingly elected an
Islamist government into office, supposedly on a platform of democracy.
It is with this as background that the questionable suspension of the
CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen, should be situated. The ‘judicial coup’ is
not only against the judiciary, but also the constitution that is under
attack and with it, the sovereignty of the Nigerian state as a
democratic nation.”

The Christian elders also restated their
commitment to prayerfully support Christian presidential candidates and
indeed any candidates who would be committed and loyal to the tenets of
liberal democracy, human rights and equality under the law.

Asemota
said the Islamists that belonged to the Salafist sect believed that
modern society should run according to the 6th century pattern of Islam.

“Islamism is not a religion but a political ideology which holds that wherever Islam is, Islam must dominate,” he said.

He
added, “That is one reason why Islamism is called “political Islam.
However, while all Islamists are Muslims, all Muslims are not Islamists.
The National Christian Elders Forum is calling on Nigerians to mobilise
to resist the Islamists in Nigeria and ensure that they do not return
to power again so that Nigerians can concentrate on building a just and
equitable society.”

According to them, infrastructure that is sustaining Islamism in Nigeria must be dismantled and democracy must be promoted.

Source:- Punchng