Wike: Buhari Intimidating Appeal Court Judges to Back Suspension of CJN

* Says Rivers major reason for clampdown on
judiciary

Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has declared that the removal
of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, is
the conclusion of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal
Government’s hijack of the judiciary. Wike said the federal
government was trying to intimidate the judges of the Court of
Appeal into giving a legal stamp to the suspension of the CJN. The
governor alleged that Rivers State was a primary reason for the
intimidation of the judiciary, stressing that the appellate court
is being put under pressure to reverse judgements against the APC
in the state.

Speaking at Government House, Port Harcourt, yesterday, during a
courtesy visit by representatives of the National Executive
Committee of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA),
Nigeria, Wike stated that if Nigerians allowed criminal actions to
succeed, then they should brace up for the death of an independent
judiciary. He said there must be a sustained national resistance to
reverse alleged impunity of President Muhammadu Buhari.

According to him, “The suspension of the CJN is unfortunate. I
raised an alarm when the federal government tested the waters by
going to abduct judges in the midnight. I knew what the federal
government intended to achieve. The whole essence was to put the
judiciary in their pocket.

“The then NBA leadership played into their hands. They allowed
politics and religion to becloud their sense of patriotism. It is
not the removal of the CJN that is the issue. There is no more
judiciary. No judge will henceforth deliver contrary judgement
based on law against the federal government.”

The governor said the challenge before of Nigerians was to rise
up in defence of the country’s democracy and judiciary.

“Beside condemnation, concrete steps must be taken to ensure
that they change their minds. There is no way that Satan can change
his mind by mere statements,” he said.

The governor said the script of the Buhari administration was to
create a situation where they can easily destroy judges through
flimsy allegations and illegal actions.

“This unconstitutional action of the president has several
negative ramifications. A governor who hates his State Chief Judge
can concoct a petition and unilaterally remove him,” he said.

Wike said Rivers State was the prime target of the Buhari
administration, alleging that the new CJN and other judges are
under instructions to upturn judgements of courts in states where
the APC is in intra-party crisis.

According to the governor, “The Minister of Transportation told
his party men that Buhari will use all forms of illegality to
achieve his aim. The president wants to act against states where
the party is having crisis.

“The whole thing is because APC has crisis in Rivers State. Just
because of that, you destroy the whole institution. They want
another CJN that will upturn everything. These are the type of
actions that generate insecurity.”

He said if Buhari got away with illegal actions against the
constitution, he would go for a third term.

Wike stressed that if the removal of the CJN succeeded,
Nigerians should bid credible polls farewell, as the federal
government could unilaterally sack the National Chairman of INEC
over any flimsy excuse.

Wike said the next victims of intimidation would be the media,
noting that media proprietors would be hounded by the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and compelled to dish out lies
and half-truths.

Earlier, the outgoing president of FIDA, Mrs Inime Aguma, said
the removal of the CJN might lead to a national crisis that would
negatively affect women and children. FIDA called on the federal
government to have a rethink on the illegal removal of the CJN.