Senate President, Bukola Saraki on Monday expressed deep sadness over the demise of Senator Joseph Kennedy Waku.
Saraki in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, described the late Waku as a fearless and colourful politician who spent the most productive period of his life in the service of God, country and humanity.
Saraki said: “Senator Waku was a democrat and social activist. He cared so much about his people. He spoke truth to power not minding political correctness. He worked assiduously for the upliftment of his state in particular and Nigeria in general.
“His leadership role in the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), marked him out as a consummate politician with the welfare of his country at heart.
“As a Senator, he contributed immensely to the nation’s legislative development. His incisive interventions bear testimony to his rich experience, intellectual depth and urbane personality.
“He was a voice to the voiceless. We shall miss him dearly,” Saraki stated.
The Senate President also commiserated with the immediate family of the deceased and the Government and people of Benue State over the sad and irreparable loss.
He prayed to God to grant the soul of Senator Waku eternal peace and his loved ones the fortitude to bear the loss.
Between Senate President Bukola Saraki and damaged Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Walter Onneghen, there are ample running parallels. It is little surprise, therefore, that Saraki, clutching a suspect mandate, is rushing to the Supreme Court, on a suspect mission.
Everyone knows how Saraki sold off his former party, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), to corral the Senate presidency. Everyone also saw how his brazen desperation led him to trade off the Deputy Senate Presidency (the majority party’s right by common sense, convention and law) to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). It was a riveting study in concentrated perfidy.
Even after all those had crashed, in his failed bid to lure APC members back to PDP, to willy-nilly maintain his Senate presidency, he had grimly held on to the chaff of office, as a minority senator, when everyone knows the grain left him when he defected without quitting his office.
Therefore, a delusion-powered desperation must have galvanized him to issue a personally signed statement, joining the technicality assembly on the Onnoghen question. Bristling with that delusion, he promptly summoned an emergency Senate plenary, to try and grandstand and rail-road the Senate into his latest Onnoghen gambit.
But reality must have dawned when Saraki suddenly realised he could be playing the Yoruba “sigidi” (mud sculpture) thirsting for a splash in the stream. Or in popular Igbo-led lingo, of the volatile Senate presidency of the Olusegun Obasanjo era – that he might just be gliding towards the proverbial “banana peel” that could smash his humpty-dumpty!
So, Omo Baba Oloye beat a sudden retreat, and headed for the Supreme Court, for an interpretation of the law. No big deal about that, in normal circumstances. But could Saraki, in all good conscience, do that without a plenary resolution, committing the Senate to it?
Okay, even if you want to play in the realm of “delegated legislation” (broadly speaking), can a minority senator, desperately hanging on as “Senate President” commit the entire house to minority, if not Saraki’s personal, whims?
But of course! Riggers of the system don’t really bother themselves with such careful introspection. Armed with cynical philosophy that evil would always trump evil, they just rush to do the maximum damage.
But now to Onnoghen, who would, from the way he has played the unfolding Judiciary’s greatest scandal, appear Saraki’s judicial parallel.
Assets the CJN appears not able to explain, he claims he “forgot” – and put in the realm of “mistake”. But he knows that is pathetic and patently silly defence, at least going by the forensic reasoning of his sacred profession.
A person with honour would have quit. Even if he doesn’t care about his personal prestige, the Judiciary’s institutional honour should have swayed him. But no! Sit tight is the game. Procedural angling is the strategy. But sure disgrace and defeat is the result.
The Kwara North Senatorial District has dissociated itself from the purported agreement with Senate President Bukola Saraki and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the forthcoming general elections.
The zone, under the aegis of All Progressives Congress (APC) Elders, said the purported memorandum of understanding (MoU) reached with Saraki, some traditional rulers and stakeholders from the state’s north was a charade.
The ruling PDP in the state, on Sunday, announced that it had signed a pack with Kwara north to shift the governorship ticket to the zone in 2023, if the party gets the zone’s support for its candidates in this year’s general elections.
Addressing reporters in Ilorin, the state capital, leader of APC elders, Senator Ahmed Mohammed said monarchs from the zone and the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, were corralled to witness the alleged undertaking to make the pact look authentic.
Mohammed added: “The royal fathers were corralled in place as witnesses to the solemn undertaking being executed in recognition of the perceived monumental injustice suffered in the last 16 years of our political inter-relationship with the Saraki dynasty.
“Ordinarily, we would not have bothered to react to what is essentially an intra-party affair, but the presence of our royal fathers at the occasion raises some concerns among well-meaning patriotic leaders and stakeholders from the zone because of its capability to confer legitimacy on what has been widely regarded as an act of deceit, a piece of chicanery executed in duplicity and bad faith and generally borne out of desperation to cling to power by all means.
“For the avoidance of doubt, we hereby wish to state categorically that contrary to the impression that the agreement is meant to create in the public mind, the vast majority of our people are more than ever before united in purposeful determination, in concert with others across the state, to do away with bad leadership that the PDP has offered over the years.
“APC, which is the future of democracy in Kwara State, holds better opportunities for us, which, unlike the PDP, its own style will be a collective leadership, not a one-man dictatorship. We can rest assured that the principle of rotation and zoning will be the cardinal principle that everybody will observe and respect for the overall good of our dear state.
“We advise very strongly that our traditional institution should be insulated from the murky waters of politics. By bringing them to witness what is essentially an intra-party deal is, to say the least, both demeaning and despicable.
“The Kwara north joins other senatorial districts to put an end to the despotic, exploitative dynasty that has kept the state in bondage for so many years. Enough is enough.”
The senator regretted the deplorable infrastructural situation in the zone under the Saraki dynasty over the years.
SENATE President Bukola Saraki and Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources Chairman Senator Kabiru Marafa yesterday disagreed over the alleged daily payment of N2.4 billion to subsidise fuel.
Marafa told reporters in Abuja that the country does not pay up to N2.4 billion to subsidise fuel daily as claimed by Saraki.
The Senate President had claimed that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was spending N2.4 billion to subsidise 50 million litres every day.
Saraki, at a programme aired on African Independent Television (AIT) yesterday, noted: “It is shocking and alarming that the current administration in the country claimed that Nigerians are consuming 50 million litres of fuel every day and for two years, they did it without appropriation.
“What type of integrity are we talking about when a government claims to have been spending N2.4 billion.
“We have a committee set up to look into it but we have always met a brick wall.
“For two years, we made several cases to the executive that the subsidy claims must be presented for appropriation because we cannot continue to rely on the arguments by the executive that it was only spending money on under recovery.”
Marafa, in an interview with reporters, sharply disagreed with Saraki.
The Zamfara Central lawmaker insisted that findings by his committee showed that Nigerians were not consuming more than 30 million of litres of fuel per day.
He also noted that it was not possible for the country to spend up to N2.4 billion ever day to subsidise fuel consumption.
Marafa said: “It is not possible to spend N2.4 billion on subsidy in Nigeria every day. Even though we don’t have the exact figure, but it ranges between 25 to 35 million per day, depending on the circumstances.
“Even, if we are selling 30 million litres per day at N145 per litre, it will amount to N4.3 billion. If you say that government is subsidising by N2.4 billion, are we saying that government is selling at half of the amount?
“The landing cost of PMS (Petrol) is N180 – that means government is subsidising maximum N40 naira per litre. If you multiply that with 30 million litres, it cannot be up to N2.4 billion.
“I don’t want to join issues with the Senate President. I don’t know the particular committee he mandated to carry out his investigations, but if he said so, it must be for the purpose of winning elections.”
The Kwara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said the pact between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Senate President Bukola Saraki with Kwara north is shadow-chasing.
Saraki and the ruling PDP in Kwara, on Sunday, said they had zoned the governorship slot to Kwara north in 2023.
They also claimed that the zone will produce the next House of Assembly speaker and Secretary to the State Government (SSG), should the PDP form the next government.
But APC said the purported pact is meant to curry Kwara north’s votes in this year’s general elections.
Its spokesperson Tajudeen Aro said: “We have watched with dismay the PDP’s day of shame with the anti-socio-political tactics employed to woo the support of the Kwara North Senatorial District by signing a pact on power shift to the zone in 2023.
“No one in his wildest imagination will believe such a fairy tale being sponsored by Senator Bukola Saraki, as it is nothing but a cheap attempt to pull wool over the eyes of many in a vain attempt to sustain his dominance on the state.
“Only those living in a fool’s Paradise will believe that the signing of such ambitious pact amounts to a mandate already given by the people of Kwara north to the PDP, an area that has been neglected in the last 16 years under the political leadership of Saraki.
“Given the socio-political antecedent of Saraki to keeping promises, it would be illogical to expect a fulfilment of this pact. Thus, we need to ask him why he jettisoned the ambitions of Bio Ibrahim and many other competents Kwara northerners before now.
“Unfortunately, this charlatan posing as saviour has, in the recent past, impoverished the Kwara north and Kwara in general with his maladministration during his tenure as governor and subsequently ruling by proxy to ensure that the ruining status quo remains, albeit in another form.
“It is, however, worrisome the ploy to drag our respected traditional rulers into this muddy type of politics by being part of this unholy alliance. The presence of the respected traditional rulers at such a gathering is not only absurd but also a desperate attempt to coerce them to submission.
“If fair must be fair, the traditional rulers must be fathers to all. Such coercion is outright condemned.
“Our goal is to lead a progress-oriented, dynamic, honest and open administration in Kwara State.
“Kwarans are saying no to failed promises. Enough is enough. O To Ge!”
Kwara state All Progressives Congress ( APC ) has described the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Senate President Bukola Saraki reported pact with Kwara North as shadow chasing.
Senator Saraki and PDP Sunday said they had zoned the governorship slot to Kwara north zone come 2023.
They also claimed that the zone will produce the next state House of Assembly speaker and secretary to the state government should PDP form the next government.
The implication is to curry the Kwara north’s votes in this year’s elections.
Spokesperson of APC Tajudeen Aro said “we have watched with dismay the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) day of shame with the anti-socio-political tactics employed to woo the support of the Kwara North Senatorial zone by signing a pact on power shift to the zone in 2023.
“No one in his wildest imagination will believe such fairy tale being sponsored by Senator Bukola Saraki, as it is nothing but a cheap attempt to pull wool over the eyes of many in a vain attempt to sustain his dominance on the state.
“Only those living in fool’s Paradise will believe that the signing of such ambitious pact amounts to a mandate already given by the people of Kwara North to the PDP. An area that has been neglected in the last 16 years under the political leadership of Saraki.
“Giving the sociopolitical antecedent of Saraki to keeping promises, it would be illogical to expect a fulfilment of this pact and we need to ask him why he jettisoned the ambitions of Rt. Hon Bio Ibrahim and many other competent Kwara Northerners before now.
“Unfortunately, this charlatan posing as saviour has in the recent past impoverished the Kwara North and Kwara in general with his maladministration during his tenure as governor and subsequently ruling by proxy to ensure that the ruining status quo remains, albeit in another form.
“It is, however, worrisome the ploy to drag our respected traditional rulers into this muddy type of politics by being part of this unholy alliance. The presence of the respected traditional rulers at such gathering is not only absurd but also a desperate attempt to coerce them to submission.
“If fair must be fair, the traditional rulers must fathers to all. Such coercion is outrightly condemned.
“Our goal is to lead progress oriented, dynamic, honest and open administration in Kwara state.
“Kwarans are saying no to failed promises. Enough is enough. O to ge.”
All Progressives Congress (APC) youth, under the aegis of Kwara North All Progressives Youth Forum (APYF) at the weekend accused the state government and Senate President and leader of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Bukola Saraki of using strong arm tactics to coerce traditional rulers in the state to vote for PDP in this year’s general elections.
Hitherto, people of Kwara north extraction had vowed not to pitch
their political tent with the Bukola Saraki-led government in the
state in the forthcoming elections.
Kwara north comprises Baruten, Edu, Patigi, Kaiama and Moro local
government areas of the state.
APYF specifically alleged that PDP and its leader had opted to harass,
intimidate and embarrass the traditional rulers to impress it upon
their subjects to vote for the PDP candidates in the elections.
Addressing reporters in Ilorin, the state capital, Spokesperson of the
forum Zakari Baba Yusuf said that “the PDP and its leader Bukola
Saraki having seen clearly that they have lost the next general
elections and having run out of campaign strategies have opted for the crude and cruel method of harassing, abusing, embarrassing and intimidating our traditional rulers to influence the collective
decision of the people, particularly the youth who have absolutely
resolved to change the status quo.
“APYF Kwara north is deeply concerned on the unwarranted manner our royal fathers are being frequently invited to Ilorin, the state
capital
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has urged Nigerians to ignore Senate President Bukola Saraki’s fairy tales over fuel consumption.
Itnoted that Saraki has resorted to campaign of calumny directed at the person of President Muhammadu Buhari ahead of the looming defeat of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) at the presidential poll and imminent collapse of Saraki’s empire in Kwara.
Its spokesman, Festus Keyamo (SAN), recalled that Saraki claimed in a television interview few days ago that Nigeria’s petroleum consumption is about 20-22 million litres per day and that import level of 50 million litres is a scam and fraudulent. Keyamo said Saraki’s statement was a demonstration of hallucination of figures hence he has resorted to poorly choreographed and worn-out political brinkmanship fuelled by absence of any credible agenda to present to Nigerians.
“The same Dr. Bukola Saraki was in the 7th Senate and knows very well that in 2014 and part of 2015, the PDP Government that was in power reported daily PMS consumption of 35-40 million litres per day to Nigerians.
“Strangely, years later, the PDP Campaign DG is peddling a phantom fuel consumption figure of 20-22 million litres per day.
“The PDP chief campaigner discountenanced the obvious fact that within the last three years of the current administration, the Nigerian economy that PDP left in comatose has been jump-started to vibrancy leading to remarkable changes in energy consumption needs and patterns.
“The allegation that the national oil company prevailed on Mr. President not to seek appropriation for subsidy and to rather treat it as cost under-recovery is not only laughable and mischievous, but it is a blatant lie.
“Verifiable records indicate that NNPC has never claimed subsidy payment from any government in its history of operation.
“All NNPC’s transactions in this regard have been treated as product costs under-recovery.
“The Corporation, like any other business entity, does its business and recovers its cost from its revenues.
“It is instructive to note that in his rush to indict the NNPC and the President, willy-nilly, Dr. Bukola Saraki forgot that a Senate Committee was set up by him to investigate the intervention of NNPC in PMS imports.
“The mandate of the Committee includes volumes, costs and any associated under-recoveries.
“The big question remains; why would he not wait for the outcome of the Committee he set up to investigate the matter?
“Is it because he believes the outcome of his Committee will not satisfy his predetermined mindset?
“Nigerians should therefore ignore the tantrums of Dr. Bukola Saraki as they concern the oil and gas sector.”
The APC Presidential Campaign Council yesterday accused Senate President Bukola Saraki of engaging in a campaign of calumny against President Muhammadu Buhari and hallucinating about daily fuel consumption in the country.
Spokesman for the APCPCC, Mr. Festus Keyamo, said it was unfortunate that a person of the calibre of the Senate President would engage in such ”baseless campaign of calumny.”
Saraki doubles as the Director General of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council.
Keyamo said the resort to poorly choreographed and worn-out political brinksmanship was fuelled by the obvious absence of any credible agenda or bearing to present to Nigerians in the PDP campaigns.
He said: “In clear demonstration of hallucination with figures, Dr. Bukola Saraki claimed that Nigeria’s petrol consumption is about 20-22 million Iitres per day and that the current import level of about 50million litres is a scam and fraudulent.
“However, the same Dr. Bukola Saraki was in the 7th Senate and knows very well that in 2014 and part of 2015, the PDP government that was in power was reporting to Nigerians daily PMS consumption of 35-40 million litres per day.
“In January, 2014, for example, the average monthly consumption was 38 million litres per day. By January, 2015, under the same government of PDP, they reported 36 milIion Iitres per day and March 2015, the daily consumption reported by the PDP government was 45 million Iitres per day, whilst importing at levels above 80million litres per day.
“Strangely, years later, the PDP Campaign DG is peddling a phantom fuel consumption figure of 20-22 million litres per day.
“The PDP Chief Campaigner discountenanced the obvious fact that within the last three years of the current administration, the Nigerian economy that the PDP left in comatose has been jump-started to vibrancy leading to remarkable changes in energy consumption needs and patterns.
“The allegation that the national oil company prevailed on Mr. President not to seek appropriation for subsidy and to rather treat it as cost under-recovery is not only laughable and mischievous, but it is a blatant lie. Verifiable records indicate that the NNPC has never claimed subsidy payment from any government in its history of operation. All NNPC’s transactions in this regard have been treated as product costs under-recovery.
“The corporation, like any other business entity, does its business and recovers its cost from its revenues. It is instructive to note that in his rush to indict the NNPC and the President, willy-nilly, Dr. Bukola Saraki forgot that a Senate Committee was set up by him to investigate the intervention of the NNPC in PMS imports.
“Nigerians should, therefore, ignore the tantrums of Dr. Bukola Saraki concerning the oil and gas sector.”
Senate President Bukola Saraki, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and others yesterday faulted the Federal Government’s plan to arraign Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Walter Onnoghen before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) today. The All Progressives Congress (APC), however, supported the move. It accused the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of being sympathetic to corruption. Onyedi Ojiabor and Chris Oji report.
NBA: This is desecration of the judiciary
NBA President Paul Usoro, in a statement, faulted the action against the CJN.
His statement reads: “Nigerians have witnessed again the targeted assault of the judiciary by agents of the Federal Government of Nigeria (“FGN”) epitomised by today’s media trial of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Honorable Mr. Justice Walter S N Onnoghen, GCON (“CJN”). According to media reports which have now been validated by the Statement of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (“CCT”) that was released today an application was “filed by the Code of Conduct Bureau to the CCT Chairman yesterday for the trial to commence against the Chief Justice of Nigeria on six count charges” and that the CCT “will commence the trial on Monday, 14th January 2019”. The Nigerian Bar Association unequivocally condemns this assault, intimidation and desecration of the Judiciary by FGN agencies and demands that it be stopped immediately.
“In Nganjiwa v Federal Republic of Nigeria (2017) LPELR-43391(CA), the Court of Appeal made it very clear that any misconduct attached to the office and functions of a judicial officer must first be reported to and handled by the National Judicial Council (“NJC”) pursuant to the provisions of our laws. Only after the NJC has pronounced against such judicial officer can the prosecuting agencies of the Federal Government proceed against him. As the Court pointed out, these requirements of the law are anchored on the overriding principles of separation of powers between the executive, the judiciary and the legislature and on the need to preserve, promote and protect the independence of the judiciary. Our respective liberties and the rule of law are best protected and preserved if the judiciary remains independent and shielded from intimidation and assault by the other arms of the government.
“In Nganjiwa v FRN (supra), the Court of Appeal made reference to Rule 3 of the Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers of February 2016 (“Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers”)and held that the said Rule 3 “makes provision in relation to fidelity to the Constitution and the Law”. The provisions in regard to assets declaration as they apply to all public officers including the CJN are contained in both the Constitution and the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act 1991, the enabling law that establishes both the Code of Conduct Bureau (“CCB”) and the CCT. The fidelity which judicial officers therefore owe “to the Constitution and the Law” pursuant to Rule 3 of the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers encompasses compliance with the provisions relating to assets declarations as contained in the Constitution and the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act. Any infraction in that regard by a judicial officer, as the Court of Appeal rightly held, constitutes a misconduct by the judicial officer and becomes the subject matter for discipline by the NJC as a condition precedent to any possible prosecution of the judicial officer by any of the FGN’s prosecuting agencies.
“Why has FGN decided to embark on this anomalous course of charging the CJN before the CCT without first presenting whatever facts it purportedly has against His Lordship to the NJC for its deliberation and determination? The Petition that triggered the CCB action was on its face received by the Bureau on 09 January 2019 and the Charge was promptly drafted and is dated the following day, 10 January 2019 – giving the CCB a record 24 hours for completion of its investigation and the drafting of the said Charge and ancillary processes! If one contemplates the fact that the CCT arraignment is scheduled to take place on 14 January 2019, we have in total a record number of 3 (three) working days between the receipt and processing of the petition, investigation, preparation of Charge and ancillary processes and the arraignment! Such unprecedented speed and efficiency in Nigeria’s criminal justice administration! It is clear, given the rush with which this matter was conducted by the CCB, that the NJC was not privy to it and did not conduct its mandatorily required disciplinary processes prior to the filing of the Charge before the CCT.
CJ Walter Onnoghen
“We still wonder why the FGN choose to deviate from the laid down and explicit provisions of the law as expounded in Nganjiwa v FRN (supra). Could it be that it was misadvised? Or is this a naked show of power and force by agencies of the FGN? And why embark on the media trial of the CJN? This, unfortunately, is a predilection of the FGN’s prosecuting agencies with the possible exception of the Federal Ministry of Justice. As the NBA pointed out in its International Anti-Corruption Day Statement that was issued on 09 December 2018 “media trial of persons charged with corrupt practices . . . amount to corruption itself. Indeed, those orchestrated media trials degrade and corrupt the justice administration system quite apart from the incalculable (but obviously intended) damage that it does to persons who may ultimately be discharged and acquitted. In point of fact, it is corrupt practice to use as license or hide under the cover of the fight against corruption to recklessly destroy the names, characters and reputations of persons who have not been found guilty of corrupt practices by competent courts and who may ultimately be pronounced innocent of such charges.” These media trials must, alongside the on-going desecration and assault of the judiciary, cease forthwith.
“There are two final issues that we must touch upon in this Statement, albeit, briefly. First, could it possibly be a coincidence that the current assault on the judiciary is taking place only weeks to the 2019 National Election? Apart from the conduct itself being wrongful and deplorable, its timing is condemnable. FGN will find it difficult to convince any reasonable person that its assault against the CJN and by extension the judiciary is not aimed at emasculating that arm of the government and intimidating our Judges ahead of the 2019 National Elections. In our afore-referenced International Anti-Corruption Day Statement, the NBA had deplored “conducts that qualify as . . . political non-accountability, absence of transparency and impunity in public service.” The FGN’s conduct in this instance qualifies, amongst others, as “impunity in public service.”
Wike: Nigerians will resist attempt to truncate democracy
Rivers State Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike stated that Nigerians would resist any attempt by the APC Federal Government to deliberately truncate the nation’s democracy.
Speaking during the inter-denominational service to mark this year’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day at the Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral, Rumuapara Deanery, Port Harcourt yesterday, Wike said that the illegal actions of the Buhari administration are pointers to the fact that he may not willingly hand over after he suffers defeat in February.
Wike described the charges against the CJN as concocted.
He said: “Since 1960 when Nigeria gained independence, for the first time in 2011, a Niger Delta person became the President. The entire country ganged up against him . They gave excuses and denied us a second term. We did not fight. We did not shed blood. He said his ambition was not worth the blood of any Nigerian and they called him a weak man.
“Since 1960, no Niger Delta person has been the Chief Justice of Nigeria. When it came to his own time to be appointed the Chief Justice of Nigeria politics came in. They were not willing to appoint him. It was God that created the circumstances. The President was sick and was flown out. That was how Onoghen became the Chief Justice of Nigeria.
“Now, because they believe that the Niger Delta is not part of this country, they have come again with all kinds of stories. They think they are talking to small children. Fabricated stories and said he did not declare his assets in 2011. Step aside for who take over. We must know whether or not we belong to this country. Enough is enough. I have never seen people who are so desperate to cling to power.”
Ohanaeze kicks
Apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, kicked against the move against Justice Onnoghen.
A statement issued by the organization through the Media Assistant to the President General, Chief Emeka Attamah reads:”Ohaneze has received, with shock and disappointment, the decision of the Federal government of Nigeria, acting through the Code of Conduct Bureau to prosecute the Chief Justice Of Nigeria.
“Legal opinion abound that the action is premature and ill conceived following an extant Court Of Appeal decision which interprets the procedure for prosecuting judicial officers. This procedure has not been followed. The fact that the National Judicial Council has been ignored is not just illegal but suggests deliberate court shopping and a predetermined objective.
“Secondly, the fact that one of the issues being canvassed by the CCB before the CCT is for an order of the CCT for the Chief Justice of Nigeria to step aside from his exalted office pending the conclusion of the trial contrary to the procedure for his removal from office as provided by the Nigerian constitution exposes the aim of the prosecution.
“A perusal of some of the depositions in the charge sheet also shows a completely distorted conception of the regulations pertaining to the declaration of assets. Assets acquired after assumption of office are declared at the end of a public official’s tenure in order to present a comparison with assets declared on assumption of office.”
Hashim cautions Executive
The presidential candidate of the People’s Trust, Mr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, cautioned the executive arm of government to thread softly in the planned arraignment of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen, before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on allegations of false asset declaration.
Olawepo-Hashim, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Hassan Ibrahim in Abuja yesterday, said the development constituted a serious threat to constitutional democracy and rule of law.
He warned that the principle of separation of powers on which democractic order stands should not be destroyed due to power play or because of any other reason.
He said as one who was a leading partisan in the struggle for the restoration of democracy in Nigeria, “I owe inviolable the sacred principle of separation of power of which the independence of the judiciary is a fundamental element.”
He said “Nigeria’s judiciary is surely not perfect just like many other institutions of state that need urgent reform. But this must not be a licence for executive’s perfidious interference.
“There are mechanisms for correcting errors done by judicial officers in the Nigerian constitution. What we are seeing now is not the activation of such mechanism but what appears like a political persecution of the judiciary which is dangerous for democracy, national unity and cohesion.
“Though with her own shortcomings which can be internally cured within the judiciary’s self correcting mechanism, our judiciary remains highly revered with an enviable jurisprudence and history.
“It has provided help to other countries by posting judges to many African countries such as Botswana, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe and even at the international level.”
“That enviable record must not be recklessly blighted by the on-going attempt to humiliate judicial officers,” he said.
The PT’s candidate said this occasion was an opportunity for the the People’s Trust to elucidate on its policy perspective on the Judiciary, stressing that in his party’s manifesto,” there are far-reaching justice sector reform initiatives in our manifesto to reposition the judiciary as a self-correcting institution through the National Judicial Council, to reverse the humiliation and molestation of the judicial sector and stop the erosion of judicial authority and mandates due to executive interference and harassment.
“Under our Presidency, I will implement and pursue fundamental reforms of the justice administration sector to guarantee the independence of the judiciary from executive interference while strengthening the system to justly and efficiently discharge her constitutional mandate.”
“We intend to make the judiciary truly the last hope of the common person by stopping police brutality and removing hindrance in the justice administration system”, the presidential hopeful said.
Saraki to Fed Govt: due process should be followed
Senate President Bukola Saraki yesterday urged the Federal Government to ensure that its plan to put on trial the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen does not cause chaos in the judicial system.
Saraki also advised the Federal Government to ensure that due process is not compromised in the planned trial of the CJN.
The Senate President, in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) Yusuph Olaniyonu, noted that he believes that if the government truly has genuine reason to put the incumbent Chief Justice of Nigeria on trial, it should ensure that every step in the process is transparent and the normal process as provided by the law is followed to the letter.
He said: “A situation where the petition which triggered the trial was submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) on Wednesday January 8 and by January 10 on Friday, the Chief Justice was presented with it for his reply only for the charges to be drafted that same day and filed in the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), all this taking place within three days and commencement of trial fixed for Monday, January 14, already indicate unnecessary haste and short-circuiting of the process of fair hearing.
“It is important for the government and members of the public to know that as somebody who has travelled this route before, we should refrain from any media trial and political players should avoid abusing the judicial process in order to achieve what they could not get through normal political contests. Everybody who is being tried should be presumed innocent until proven guilty. That is the underlining principle of our justice system.
“The proposed trial of the CJN has once again opened up the debate on the transparency and neutrality of the fight against corruption. The haste with which this trial is being pursued leaves a lot to be desired.
“From last Wednesday when the so-called petition against the CJN was initiated to the period the trial is scheduled to commence has been barely three working days whereas there are pending cases where the individuals involved have been indicted some months ago but no prosecution is being considered.”
“While noting that the anti-corruption fight has become a case of a separate rule for the people close to the executive branch and another set of rules for the rest of Nigerians, the Senate President stated that the fight has been compromised and politicized.
“All these subjective actions politicise the anti-graft fight. They weaken national institutions. They send wrong signals. The CJN is not above the law but his trial puts the entire judicial system on trial. It sends a signal to the entire world about our judiciary. It has implications for the confidence of local and foreign investors about the system of adjudication over disputes in our country. Thus, the matter should be handled with care, demonstrating intense transparency and strict adherence to due process.
“This trial, coming just about a month to the commencement of the presidential elections, the aftermath of which the CJN and the judiciary he is leading are set to play crucial adjudicatory role, has already raised suspicion about the real motive. There are already suggestions that this plan is set to disorganise the judicial arm after constant attempts by agents of State to undermine the federal legislature.
“Therefore, the entire country and the international community will be watching closely every step in this trial because it is definitely unusual, unprecedented and will set a record in the engagement among the three arms of government recognised in our presidential system.
“This trial definitely has implications for the principle of separation of powers and concept of checks and balances embedded in our presidential system of government,” Saraki said.
PDP sympathetic to corruption, says APC
The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of being sympathetic to corruption.
The statement by its spokesman Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu reads: “Following reports of the move to prosecute Justice Walter Onnoghen, Chief Justice of the Federation, over an alleged infraction on the Code of Conduct laws, the swift statement by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) condemning the purported move has again exposed the Party as one with a natural inclination to rise up in defence of cases of alleged corruption.
“Resort to baseless postulations anytime issues of corruption is leveled against public officers only confirm what Nigerians already know. PDP and corruption are siamese twins that are difficult to separate from each other. One would have thought that the PDP will call for impartial investigations when corruption cases are levelled against public officers, but spinning falsehoods and conspiracies remains the opposition party’s favourite past time.
“The fight against corruption remains a cardinal promise made by the APC to the electorate. We assure the PDP and indeed all Nigerians that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration remains uncompromising in its determination to rid the country of this malady.
“As noted on many occasions by President Buhari, it is only those who have committed crimes that need to worry. The APC administration will not hesitate to investigate and prosecute any public officer if and when such is indicted for corruption.
“Achieving acceptable elections in all democratic climes is a collective effort which require the contributions and support of all well-meaning Nigerians, political parties, institutions and sundry interests.
“Commendably, in successive elections conducted under the APC administration, the Party has played by the rules, which has led to credible elections. This cannot be said of the PDP era when state institutions were deployed to manipulate the electoral process.
“The PDP’s baseless conspiracy theory on APC’s participation in the 2019 general elections should hereby be disregarded. We remain solidly committed to ensure that the forthcoming election go on record as one of the freest, most credible and peaceful elections in the country.
