Eniola Akinkuotu, Abuja
The Nigerian Bar Association has called
on the National Assembly to save Nigeria from what it described as a
“coup against the judiciary.”
The NBA said this in a statement by
its President, Mr. Paul Usoro (SAN), on Friday while reacting to the
suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen.
The
association said in a statement titled, ‘Coup against the Nigerian
judiciary and suspension of the Nigerian constitution,’ that President
Muhammadu Buhari acted against the constitution by removing Onnoghen and
swearing-in Justice Ibrahim Mohammed.
The NBA said, “We call on
the Federal Government to avert the looming constitutional crisis
precipitated by its ill-advised action. In particular, the Nigerian Bar
Association demands the reversal of the purported suspension of. Justice
Walter S C Onnoghen, GCON.
“We also call on the National
Assembly to assert its constitutional authority and powers and prevent
this slide into chaos and erosion of the rule of law.”
The
association said the ex parte order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal
which the President relied on in suspending Onnoghen was an abuse of
court processes.
It added, “The NBA unequivocally rejects and
condemns this attempted coup against the Nigerian Judiciary and evident
suspension of the Nigerian Constitution by the executive arm of the
Federal Government. The action of the executive portends a slide into
anarchy and complete deconstruction of the rule of law and due process
“It
amounts to an absolute breach of the constitution and the usurpation of
the powers of the Senate and the Nigerian Judicial Council. It is
unfortunate that the executive branch of government purports to suspend
the CJN on the basis of an alleged ex-parte order of the Code of Conduct
Tribunal – the same Tribunal that, to the knowledge of the executive,
had, only the previous day, Tuesday, 22 January 2019 adjourned its
proceedings to Monday, 28 January 2019 and has before it a Motion on
Notice that is yet to be argued, seeking the same reliefs as were
contained in the purported ex-parte application, to wit, the suspension
of the CJN, among others.”
Source:- Punchng
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