Onnoghen: Nigeria Bar Association reacts to Buhari’s suspension of CJN

Below is an excerpt of a press statement issued by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

25,01,2019.

COUP AGAINST THE NIGERIAN JUDICIARY AND
SUSPENSION OF THE NIGERIAN CONSTITUTION

1. The news media has been awash this evening with the news of the purported suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Honorable Mr. Justice Walter S C Onnoghen, GCON by President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR and the swearing in of
Hon Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed as the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria. We
are told that this was pursuant to an Ex-Parte Order that was issued by the Code of Conduct Tribunal on Wednesday, 23 January 2019.
2. The Nigerian Bar Association unequivocally rejects and condemns this
attempted coup against the Nigerian Judiciary and evident suspension of the Nigerian Constitution by the Executive arm of the Federal Government. The action
of the Executive portends a slide into anarchy and complete deconstruction of the
Rule of Law and due process. It amounts to an absolute breach of the Constitution
and the usurpation of the powers of the Senate and the Nigerian Judicial Council.
3. It is unfortunate that the Executive Branch of Government purports to suspend the CJN on the basis of an alleged ex-parte order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal – the same Tribunal that, to the knowledge of the Executive, had, only the previous day, Tuesday, 22 January 2019 adjourned its proceedings to Monday, 28 January 2019 and has before it a Motion on Notice that is yet to be argued, seeking
the same reliefs as were contained in the purported ex-parte application, to wit, the suspension of the CJN, amongst others.