• Suspends campaign for 72hrs to protest Onnoghen’s suspension
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) wants the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammed, to quit office immediately.
The party claimed yesterday that Muhammed cannot function in the capacity of CJN as there is no vacancy in that office.
The party also confirmed that it had suspended its campaign for 72 hours to protest Friday’s suspension of Justice Walter Onnoghen as Chief Justice of Nigeria.
The PDP in a statement by its National Publicity secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, argued that the 1999 Constitution (as amended) makes no provision for Acting Chief Justices of Nigeria at any particular time, stressing that in the eye of the law, Justice Walter Onnoghen is still in charge as the Chief Justice of Nigeria.
“It is also imperative for Justice Tanko to agree that, having allowed himself to be used to desecrate the hallowed temple of justice, his oath of office and oath of allegiance, the only option left for him is to quit the bench,” Ologbondiyan said.
He added: “The PDP reminds Justice Tanko of his membership of the panel set up by the National Judicial Council (NJC), which on March 14, 2018, forced Justice Obisike Orji to quit the bench and go on a compulsory retirement, for allowing himself to be sworn in as the Acting Chief Judge of Abia State without the statutory recommendation of the NJC.
“From Justice Tanko’s first illegal assignment, which is the swearing-in of election tribunal Justices for the forthcoming elections, Nigerians can now see the raison d’etre for his illegal appointment.
“This action is in itself a nullity and we caution the said justices to be reminded of the popular maxim that something cannot be built on nothing.
“Nigerians can recall that the PDP had always alerted that President Buhari is bent on removing Justice Onnoghen so as to replace him with a pliable CJN that would help him uphold his rigging plots and achieve his self-succession bid, having realized that he cannot win in any free and fair electoral contest.
Suspends campaign for 72 hrs
The party’s Presidential Campaign Council in a separate statement yesterday confirmed it was suspending its presidential campaign to protest President Muhammadu Buhari’s action against Onnoghen.
The PDP Campaign Council said its decision was also in solidarity with Nigerians in a collective rejection of what it described as an assault on the nation’s democratic order.
The PDP Presidential Campaign train was scheduled to move to Benue State yesterday, but the party said it had suspended its campaign activities for a period of 72 hours in the first instance.
The PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, who signed the statement said, “The basis for this election is the democracy itself. When democracy comes under this kind of virulent attack, then the election itself becomes superfluous.
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