ONNOGHEN: Prepare for break-up if INEC rigs election —N/Delta militants

…say president not committed to united country

A coalition of Niger Delta agitators has asked Nigerians to
prepare for the break up of the country should the Independent
National Electoral Commission, INEC rig the February 16
presidential election in favour of President Muhammad Buhari.

The agitators spoke against the suspension of Justice Walter
Onnoghen as the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN by the President.

The coalition alleged that the suspension was a deliberate plan
hatched by the President to perpetuate himself in power.

The agitators stated that the President was not interested in
the unity of Nigeria hence his action.

The views were contained in a statement signed by the different
heads of the coalition led by self-styled Gen. John Dukku of the
Niger Delta Watchdogs and convener, Coalition of Niger Delta
Agitators released on Sunday and made available to Vanguard.

The statement also condemned the recent statement credited to
the Renewed Niger Delta Avengers, RNDA, in which they supported the
suspension of the CJN.

According to the coalition, RNDA is not an agitation group in
the Niger Delta region but political thugs who want to gain cheap
popularity against the collective wellbeing of the Niger Delta
people.

The statement reads: “We are shocked at the recent exhibition of
rascality by the Presidency with the suspension of the Chief
Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, and swearing-in of an
Acting CJN, Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed. His suspension is the
highest form of dictatorship, tyranny, and fascism in the 21st
century, which we view as the highest level of insult on the
collective intelligence of the Niger Delta people.

“The removal is a coup against the constitution of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria, a coup against the Rule of Law and separation
of powers and a coup against Nigeria’s democracy. It is a face-off
with the Niger Delta people, and we call on the international
community to note this so that when we would retaliate nobody would
blame us. This is clearly aimed at preventing Justice Onnoghen from
inaugurating credible judges that would handle election
petitions.

“This sudden and sad spectacle also amounts to a judicial coup
aimed at influencing the Election Petition Tribunals which were
supposed to be inaugurated last Saturday by the erstwhile CJN, with
a view to putting in place, judges that will adjudicate the
election cases in his favour, knowing the APC has already lost the
confidence of the electorate as a result of poor governance.