Onnoghen: Presidency Plotting to ‘Annex’ Judiciary, PDP Alleges

Onnoghen: Presidency Plotting to ‘Annex’  Judiciary, PDP Alleges

By Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the Muhammadu Buhari Presidency of plotting to destabilise and annex the Judiciary ahead of next month’s general elections.

The main opposition party said that the allegations that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Presidency cabal were hounding Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Walter Onnoghen and seeking his removal was aimed at causing a constitutional crisis, instill fear in judicial officers and pave way for the foisting of a pliable CJN that would do their bidding on electoral matters.

The Director of Media and Publicity, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement Saturday said that the APC seeks a new CJN that would aid its rigging schemes as well as execute the plot to use the court to detain and put opposition members and outspoken members of Civil Society Organisations out of circulation during the general elections.

This development, according to him, is a clear recipe for anarchy and a huge crisis that is capable of fracturing the justice system and derail the country’s democracy as it portends a prelude to a total clampdown on institutions of democracy and rule of law in the country.

He stated, “If President Buhari is committed to cleaning up the system as he claims, we challenge him to allow the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, whose tenure has expired and who had also been rejected by Nigerians due to his manifest partisanship, to go.”

“President Buhari should also ask Amina Zakari to recuse herself from the lndependent National Electoral Commission (INEC) following her rejection by Nigerians over issues of impropriety in her appointment as Chairperson of the Presidential election collation committee.”

“We challenge Mr. President to also commence plans for the immediate prosecution of members of his campaign organisation, including his co-Chairman, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and the factional National Chairman of his APC, Adams Oshiomhole, over allegations of corruption against them.”

The PDP therefore called on all Nigerians, the United Nations and all international bodies to unite in the defence of the nation’s democracy, especially at this very critical time.

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