The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP), Uche Secondus has alleged that the Federal Government humiliated the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Walter Onnoghen in order to force Judges and Justices to fall in line and endorse all their undemocratic behaviors.
Secondus stated this while addressing newsmen during a world press conference held at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja, on Friday.
According to him, Onnoghen’s humiliation was used by the All Progressive Congress (APC) to coerce judicial officers especially judges to endorse all their undemocratic behaviors.
He, however, urged judicial officers, particularly those handling election matters to be guided by the provisions of the law at all time. He said:
“After its several attempts to hijack the legislature failed, it turned to the Judiciary ridiculing the revered third arm of the government to the point of removing their confidence.
“The executive backed humiliation of the head of the Judiciary, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen is a well-designed strategy by the APC administration to intimidate and coerce judicial officers particularly the Judges and Justices to fall in line and endorse all their undemocratic behaviours that is bound to come to the judiciary for adjudication.
“My advice to members of the Judiciary, particularly those handling election matters and who are all Nigerians and who are also living in Nigeria is that the country and rule of law should guide all their actions.
“They should know that providence has placed in their laps the opportunity to make positive history and enshrine justice and fair play in our society knowing as a fact that no nation grows on injustice and injustice breed crisis. The Judiciary should also know that the global community is watching to see the calibre of characters in the nation’s judiciary.
“I also while appreciating the good work of the media as the 4th estate of realm urges them to do more in condemning the deliberate bastardization of critical institutions of democracy and clear destruction of separation of power among the three arms of government.
“The media should as they have always done to stand up and avert the emerging dictatorial tendencies, which always begin by trying to subjugate the other arms of government.”