Unic Press UK: The European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK) are very concerned over the suspension/replacement of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Walter Onnoghen when its barely 22 days to the Nigeria Presidential Election 2019.
In its statement, issued on 26 January 2019 and signed by European Union Election Observation Mission Nigeria (EU EOM) 2019 public outreach officer, Sarah Fradgley, the EU said:
“The EU Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) is very concerned about the process and timing of the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Honourable Justice Walter Onnoghen, on 25 January. With 20 days until the presidential and National Assembly elections, political parties, candidates and voters must be able to have confidence in the impartiality and independence of the judicial system. The decision to suspend the Chief Justice has led to many Nigerians, including lawyers and civil society observer groups, to question whether due process was followed. The timing, just before the swearing in of justices for Electoral Tribunals and the hearing of election-related cases, has also raised concerns about the opportunity for electoral justice.”
Reacting to the string of tensions in Nigeria polity caused by the suspension/replacement of Judge Walter Onnoghen, the UK government wrote:
“The British High Commission expresses serious concern over the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria. We have heard a wide range of credible and independent voices, including in the Nigerian legal profession and civil society, who have expressed concern over the constitutionality of the executive branch’s suspension of the chief officer of the judiciary. We respect Nigeria’s sovereign authority and its right to adjudicate on constitutional provisions but as friends of the Nigerian people, we are compelled to observe that the timing of this action, so close to national elections, gives cause for concern. It risks affecting both domestic and international perceptions on the credibility of the forthcoming elections. We, along with other members of the international community, are following developments closely. We encourage all actors to maintain calm and address the concerns raised by this development through due process, demonstrating their commitment to respecting the constitution and the impartial administration of the rule of law. We further urge them to take steps to ensure that elections take place in an environment conducive to a free, fair and peaceful process.”
The Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari, had, in a statement Friday announced the suspension of and replacement of the chief justice of Nigeria, Judge Walter Onnoghen, citing and claiming to rely on an Order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal made on Wednesday, the 23rd January 2019. Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed, a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria has already been sworn in as acting CJN.
By his action, President Buhari ignored an Order of the Appeal Court this week that the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) should maintain a stay of proceedings with regard to the six-count charge against the CJN, Walter Onnoghen.
