Members of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Calabar, Ikom and Ogoja branches in Cross River State have protested the suspension of Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Walter Onnoghen. The group also called on the Attorney General of the Federation to resign his appointment with immediate effect.
The Vice Chairman of NBA, Calabar branch, Julius Idige who handed over the protest letter on behalf of other branches to Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River on Tuesday said the suspension of the CJN was not proper as the rule of law was not observed. He said the resignation of the Attorney General would afford the President proper legal guidance.
“We rather perceive the actions of the Attorney General to be dubious and blatant mischief, far below the person and office of the Chief Law Officer of the Federation, we, therefore, call on the Hon Attorney General to resign from his office to afford the President the opportunity of proper legal guidance in the conduct of State affairs.
“We are not convinced that the initiative of proceedings in the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) by the Hon Attorney General of the Federation is a reflection of his level of professional competence,” he said.
On the conduct of the CCT, the NBA said “We find the actions of the CCT perfidious and fraudulent. The various infractions in the processes filed, and the conduct of proceedings by the CCT, reflect a gross abuse of court process and judicial rascality.
“Curious still is the fact that the Chairman of the CCT considered the aforesaid ex parte motion and granted the orders without the motion being moved by the applicant.”
The acting Chairman explained that the Bar was horrified that the Hon Justice Tanko Mohamed submitted himself to be sworn in as Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, thereby subscribing to this abuse of the constitution, “We strongly advise his Lordship to retrace his steps, decline any further pretensions to the office of the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria and apologised to the legal community and the Nigerian people.
In a six points communiqué signed by leaders of the Bar, Chairmen, former Chairmen, secretaries and others, the Bar said, “We condemn in the strongest terms and wholly reject the unconstitutional suspension of Hon Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen, the CJN by President Buhari vide a black market ex parte order issued by CCT.
“Unless this abuse of the constitution is redressed immediately, the rule of law will be in jeopardy and this will drive the country towards anarchy. The constitution of Nigeria must remain supreme and sacrosanct. We call on the President Buhari to immediately retrace his steps and reinstate Hon Onnoghen to his position as CJN and preserve the constitution which he swore to uphold,” the group stated.
Receiving the protest letter, the Deputy Governor of Cross River State, Prof Ivara Esu who represented the Governor said that Justice Onnoghen is from the state and commended members of the Bar for the peaceful protest and promised to pass the message to Gov Ayade for onward delivery to President Buhari.
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