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Dr. Olisa Agbakoba SAN
@oagbakoba
, 10 tweets, 2 min read Read on Twitter
President Muhammadu Buhari`s suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen is the most brazen assault on Nigeria`s constitutional history.

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The President has obviously not listened to the advice of the Hon. Attorney General of the Federation or the Attorney General of the Federation has misadvised him or both.
President Buhari claims that the suspension of the Chief Justice Onnoghen is pending the determination of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT. This is simply not true. The CCT itself adjourned proceedings in respect of Justice #Onnoghen `s matter.
This it did in order to determine if it had jurisdiction to try Justice Onnoghen. The President`s decision contravenes the Ruling of the CCT.
There are atleast six (6) pending cases in superior courts of Nigeria and one in the Court of Appeal. All these cases ruled that Justice #Onnoghen should remain in office pending when all cases against him are resolved.
These Rulings bind the President of Nigeria. In any case, Section 292 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria sets out the procedure for removing or suspending the Chief Justice of Nigeria.
The power to suspend or remove the Chief Justice of Nigeria vests in the Senate side of the National Assembly.
For all these reasons the purported suspension of Justice #Onnoghen is the gravest insult to the Nigerian constitution in history. It is difficult to understand how President Buhari will expect my vote of confidence in the February polls if he wantonly desecrates our Constitution
I call on all Nigerians to take the strongest possible view of the President`s conduct. I am also shocked that Mr Justice Mohammed Tanko would have offered himself to be sworn in as the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria.
I call on the Chief Justice of Nigeria to refuse to be pushed out of office. The NBA must rise to resist this assault to our constitution. Our judges must rise; Civil Society Organizations must rise. This is potentially the beginning of our descent into constitutional anarchy.
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Dr. Olisa Agbakoba SAN
@oagbakoba
The decision of the @NGRPresident to withhold Assent in respect of a Bill to enact a Law to amend the Electoral Act makes no sense. The Final draft Bill considered by @nassnigeria , was agreed with the President, precisely to avoid challenges, such as now occurred.

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The President states that part of the reason he has withheld Assent is to avoid confusion as to the applicable legal framework for 2019 Elections and the administrative capacity of INEC to cope with the new Electoral Act, as it is all too close to 2019 elections.
We will recall that the 2015 elections were partly conducted by INEC, using smart cards (card readers) as well as using Incident forms; in cases where the card readers malfunctioned. In effect smart cards and Incident Forms were both used to conduct 2015 elections.
Read 7 tweets

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SBM Intelligence
@sbmintelligence
Last Friday, @MBuhari suspended the Chief Justice of On Friday, 25 January, 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari suspended the Chief Justice of @SupremeCourtNg, Justice Walter #Onnoghen, pending the completion of his trial at @CCBNigeria's tribunal.
@MBuhari immediately swore in Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed as the acting CJN.

In a swift reaction, @NigBarAssoc issued a statement unequivocally rejecting and condemning “this attempted coup against the Nigerian Judiciary” and fixed an emergency meeting for today.
@SPNigeria & and Speaker of @HouseNGR, both condemned @NGRPresident’s move.

It is worthy to note that to legally remove the CJN, the other 2 arms of govt, @AsoRock & @nassnigeria have to be in agreement on the issue, so a 2/3 majority is needed at @NGRSenate.
Read 23 tweets
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Atiku Abubakar
@atiku
The purported suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria by President Muhammadu Buhari, is an anti-democratic act which I reject in its entirety and call on Justice Onnoghen and the judiciary to resist with every legal and constitutional means that they can muster.
This brazen dictatorial act is the latest action in the ongoing rape of our nation’s hard earned democracy by those who dined with anti-democratic forces, & is symptomatic of the increasing desperation that @MBuhari & the cabal pulling the strings have as Feb 16, 2019 draws near.
The fact that the unlawful suspension of Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen was announced just as it became public knowledge that the CJN was constituting the election petition tribunals is not lost on discerning Nigerians and the international community.
Read 8 tweets
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The Nigerian Blawg
@LegalNaija
The team of Defence Counsel representing the CJN, Hon. Justice Walter Onnoghen at the CCT has filed a Preliminary Objection challenging the jurisdiction of the CCT to hear the matter.
#leavejusticeonnoghenalone
#OnnoghenCCTtrial
*UPDATES FROM THE CCT ON ONOGHEN (CJN)
Aliyu Umar announces appearance for Prosecution. Wole Olanipekun, SAN, announces appearance for Defence. Tribunal asked if Defendant has been served with the charge and Registry confirmed that it was served on Defendant's PA
Chief Olanipekun was cut short in announcing appearance. Prosecution says Defendant is only allowed 5 Counsel on the Record. However Chief Olanipekun continues announcing appearances.
Read 23 tweets
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SBM Intelligence
@sbmintelligence
1/ #Nigeria's judiciary is under the spotlight yet again, for decidedly unsavoury reasons.
2/ Barring any drastic change of plans, the CJN, Honourable Justice Walter #Onnoghen will be arraigned by @CCBNigeria this morning on 6 counts of alleged false asset declarations.
3/ The charge, based on a petition to @CCBNigeria by a self-styled anti-corruption group led by @cpcnatpubsec, a former official of @MBuhari’s defunct political party, CPC, alleges that #Onnoghen maintains multiple undeclared foreign-denominated accounts.
Read 26 tweets
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Chidi Odinkalu
@ChidiOdinkalu
#Nigeria''s @MBuhari has begun moves to officially extend the tenure of Ibrahim Idris as Inspector-General of @PoliceNG. Under Service Rules, Idris shd have retired on the 35th anniv of his enlistment, 3 Jan but has continued to run the police regardless.
icirnigeria.org/buhari-moves-t…
s. 215(1)(a) of #Nigeria's constitution says: an Inspector-General of @PoliceNG shall be appointed by the President on advice of the Police Council from among serving members of the NPF.

IGP Idris can't be lawfully extended cos he's no longer serving & Police Council hasn't met.
s. 216(2) of the Constitution is v clear: "Before making any appointment to the office of the Inspector-General of @PoliceNG or removing him from office the President shall consult the Nigeria Police Council." A meeting of the Police Council is mandatory pre-condition.
Read 9 tweets
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Presidency Nigeria
@NGRPresident
President @MBuhari today received a courtesy visit from the National Executives of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG). The President was conferred with the award of ‘GRAND COMRADE of the Productive Workers of the Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry.’
NUPENG National President, Comrade Prince Williams Akporeha led the delegation of National Executives, and delivered a Speech on their behalf.

Excerpts:

#Thread
NUPENG: “May we use this medium to thank God Almighty for bringing you in as our special Surgeon at a very critical point when our Country was bleeding profusely from the fatal injuries severally inflicted on her from various gunshots of corruption and attendant malfeasances.”
Read 12 tweets

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