The All Progressives Congress (APC) Senate caucus’ disclaimer of Senate suit on CJN Onnoghen’s suspension has been described as a vote of confidence in the country’s democracy.
The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) says the swift disassociation by the APC Senators is a most welcome development.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary, Cassidy Madueke, the group said that the APC Senate caucus was indeed justified in its decision to declaim the suit in its entirety, in view of the fact that the Senate did not at any time sit to agree on any line of action on the issue of the suspension of Justice Walter Onnoghen, including approaching the Supreme Court to seek an interpretation of the Federal Government’s action.
“Ordinarily it is expected that an issue of such national significance involving the highest judicial officer in the land will be fully debated at the Senate Plenary, or within its leadership, before any action is taken on it.
“We are disappointed that the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who is also the director general of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, unilaterally dragged the Federal Government to the Supreme Court on the suspension of the CJN, a move we believe is not only partisan, but calculated to give an advantage to his principal, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and the Peoples Democratic Party.
“We also consider the position of the Senate President on the issue as hypocritical, considering that during his tenure as governor of Kwara State, Saraki had also sacked a sitting state high court judge without recourse to National Judicial Council or the Supreme Court.”
BMO says it believes that Saraki’s turn-around “now to unilaterally challenge the suspension of the CJN amounts to living in denial. We strongly believe that for Nigeria to make progress, all hands must be on deck to rid the country of corruption and impunity, especially in the highest echelon of the judiciary. A situation where the occupier of the highest office in the country’s judiciary is enmeshed in gross misconduct and sleaze is unacceptable and must be condemned by all well-meaning Nigerians.
“We therefore call on the Senate President to immediately retrace his steps, seek the consent of his colleagues on the issue and save the Senate and the entire legislature from unnecessary crisis and embarrassment.”