Mike Ozekhome SAN has described the suspension of Justice Walter Onnoghen as illegal and unconstitutional.
Ozekhome stated this in a statement on Friday, urging Nigerian lawyers and the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) to shut down all courts in Nigeria until the CJN is returned to his seat. He also urged Nigerians to brace up, come out enmasse, to protest against this illegality.
His statement: “Aside sections 153,158 and parts 1 and 2 of the 3rd schedule to the Constitution, which provide that a judicial officer can not be removed from office until he has first been tried and dealt with by the National Judicial Council (NJC), Section 292(2) makes it clear that the president can only remove the CJN from office before the age of his retirement when acting on an address supported by two-thirds majority of the Senate.
“When did the Senate meet to donate this power to the president?
“Nigerians should brace up, come out enmasse, to protest against this illegality. Nigerian lawyers and the NBA (Nigeria Bar Association) should shut down all courts in Nigeria until the CJN is returned to his seat.
“This was achieved even under military dictatorship in Pakistan, when former Pakistani president, Pervez Musharraf illegally removed from office the then Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry on 11th March, 2007.
“All the lawyers went on strike,from 15th March, 2007, shut down the courts and protested on the streets for months, until a panel of 7 members of the Supreme Court sat and held that the removal was illegal and reinstated the Chief Justice.”
Good message from Mr Mike Ozekhome SAN; followed closely, you will see that it is in line ( in principles , at least) with the message delivered by the SAMBL…..the South And Mid Belt League , regarding the appointments and filling of key positions in the country; the appointments are clearly based on geopolitics and NOT on MERIT!!