Nigerians have expressed shock following President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to suspend the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen.
Nigeria’s number one man, President Muhammadu Buhari suspended Justice Walter Onnoghen as the Chief Justice of Nigeria on Friday, January 25, 2019
It will be recalled that the President made the announcement at the Council Chambers, Presidential Villa, Abuja. In Onnoghen’s place, Buhari immediately named Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammed, who is from Bauchi State, as the new CJN.
We now have photos from the moment President Buhari swore the man in. These new photos were released on the verified page of the Presidency on Twitter.
See more pictures below:
Some Nigerians have argued that he doesn’t have the power since the judiciary is an arm of government on its own.
Onnoghen was suspended on Friday by Buhari on the recommendation of the Code of Conduct Tribunal and an acting CJN sworn-in in the person of Mr. Ibrahim Tanko Muhammed.
They are dissecting the role of the National Judicial Council as well as the National Assembly in such decision.
See comments below:
NIGERIA’S BUHARI SUSPENDS COUNTRY’S CHIEF JUDGE AND APPOINTS ACTING CHIEF JUSTICE OF NIGERIA – REUTERS WITNESS – Reuters News
Fair to say that this is not a great look, three weeks before a closely-fought election.
— John Ashbourne (@JohnAshbourne) January 25, 2019
NIGERIA’S BUHARI SUSPENDS COUNTRY’S CHIEF JUDGE AND APPOINTS ACTING CHIEF JUSTICE OF NIGERIA – REUTERS WITNESS – Reuters News
Fair to say that this is not a great look, three weeks before a closely-fought election.
— John Ashbourne (@JohnAshbourne) January 25, 2019
So President Buhari has unilaterally suspended Justice Walter Onnoghen, the Chief Justice of Nigeria without following due process as stipulated in the constitution.
This is what you get when you give your vote to a coup plotter who goes by the alias of a reformed democrat.
— FAVOUR ONYEOZIRI (GCFR) (@Rouvafe) January 25, 2019
The president cannot override the constitution and suspend the Chief Justice of Nigeria.
This is an abomination. #BuhariOut https://t.co/3mOhBJnAtG
— CJ (@chijxke) January 25, 2019
President Buhari has NO RIGHT and no power under the Constitution and the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to suspend the Chief Justice of Nigeria. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 is very explicit on how to remove the CJN in Section 292(1)(a)(i). https://t.co/B6A2cqo3wI
— Oluwole Onemola (@OluwoleOnemola) January 25, 2019
Your MCM Buhari just changed the Chief Justice of Nigeria Onnoghen like someone that’s changing Sim Card from sim 1 to Sim 2.
.
.
The fact that Buhari still has supporters shows that if some people ever get back into the Garden of Eden, they will still eat the forbidden fruit 😪— The Kingmaker🦅 (@SmithVinci) January 25, 2019
The President cannot unilaterally suspend the Chief Justice of Nigeria.
The Vice President @ProfOsinbajo who is a SAN should have advised against this. https://t.co/dAR9xrkPHj
— Ebube. (@EbubeIsaac) January 25, 2019
