Laide Raheem, Abeokuta

Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) has thrown its weight behind the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen, by President Muhammadu Buhari, over the CJN’s failure to fully declare his assets.

The party’s position was made known, yesterday, by the UPN National Chairman, Prof. Bankole Oluwaseun, during an official presentation of the party’s governorship and deputy governorship candidates in Ogun State, Femi Adeeko and Adebunmi Bankole, respectively, to the party faithful in Abeokuta, the state capital. 

Okuwa, who berated some members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and other professional bodies, over their stance against the president’s decision, argued that the president had acted in good faith, by suspending Onnoghen.  He said the honour and ethos of responsibility and integrity in public office should have been the guide of the CJN, when his claims became doubtful and suspicious at the Code of Conduct Bureau, noting he should have stepped aside for proper investigation to take place. 

He, however, said the decision of president Buhari would not only restore sanity into the Nigeria judicial system, but, also, show to the world the president’s commitment to tackle corruption. He called on Nigerians to rally round the president in his determination to purge Nigeria elite and political class of corrupt tendencies and practices, and declared that “the honour and ethos of responsibility and integrity in public office should have been the guide of Onnoghen, when his claims became doubtful and suspicious at the Code of Conduct Bureau.”

He should have stepped aside.” for a proper investigation of him instead of keeping mute, encouraging meaningless uproar from his blind supporters all over the country.