CJN: Respect the Constitution on Justice Onnoghen, Fayose Urges Osinbajo
As controversy continues to trail the confirmation of Justice Walter Onnoghen as the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Ekiti State Governor and Chairman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum, Mr. Ayodele Fayose has called on the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo SAN to as a matter of constitution send the name of Justice Onnoghen to the Senate for confirmation.
The Governor said, “Prof Osinbajo, a lawyer himself should know that it is dangerous to the unity of Nigeria and sustenance of democracy that it is now being insinuated that Justice Onnoghen is being denied appointment as substantive CJN on the basis of ethnicity and politics.”
The governor also said he and other Nigerians agitating for the appointment of Justice Onnoghen as the substantive CJN were not fighting for Onnoghen as a person, but for the sanctity of the office of the CJN, which the All Progressives Congress (APC)led federal government was allegedly trying to rubbish.
In a statement issued yesterday by his Special Assistant on Public Communications, Lere Olayinka, Fayose said it was strange that President Muhammadu Buhari chose to appoint Justice Onnoghen as acting CJN despite that the National Judicial Council (NJC) recommended him to the President since October 13, 2016, 28 clear days to November 10, 2016 that the immediate past CJN, Justice Mahmud Mohammed retired.
The governor said; “As a lawyer, acting President Osinbajo should do the need- ful by simply sending Justice Onnoghen’s name to the Senate as recommended by the NJC.”
Reacting to Onnoghen’s plea that Nigerians should not pressurise President Buhari into making him the substantive CJN, and that the president does not need any threat or ultimatum to perform his constitutional duties, Fayose said; “We are not fighting for Justice Onnoghen as an individual. Rather, we are fighting for Nigeria and the sanctity of the office of the CJN which for the first time in the history of judiciary in Nigeria is being used to play political and ethic games.”