Fayose commends Buhari over Justice Onnoghen’s nomination as substantive CJN

Ekiti State Governor and Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party

(PDP), Mr Ayodele Fayose has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for

heeding to public outcry on the appointment of Justice Walter Onnoghen

as the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), saying; “Even though the

President acted late, it is still commendable that he listened to

Nigerians by not allowing the judicial institution, which is the last

hope of the common man to be further bastardized.”

The governor said “I waited till now to commend President Buhari

because I wanted to be sure that the letter seeking Justice Onnoghen’s

confirmation was actually transmitted and read at the floor of the

Senate. Also, I needed to be sure that the letter did not get missing

at the national assembly like the 2016 budget, new items smuggled into

it or it gets padded on transit.”
According to a statement issued on Wednesday by his Special Assistant

on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Governor Fayose

said; “Even though the name was forwarded by the Acting President,

Prof Yemi Osinbajo, the Acting President couldn't have done that

without the concurrence of President Buhari even though he is resting

in the United Kingdom.”
While calling on the Senate not to waste time in confirming Justice

Onnoghen as substantive CJN, Governor Fayose appealed to the new CJN

to always bear it in his mind that there is another judgement in

heaven and ensure that the judiciary under him dispense justice to

Nigerians without fear or favour.
He said the judiciary, under Justice Onnoghen should help in

sustaining democracy by resisting the plot by the All Progressives

Congress (APC) led federal government to turn Nigeria to a one-party

state.
“Opposition is one of the major ingredients of democracy and any

attempt to kill opposition will spell doom democracy in the country.

The judiciary must therefore resist the APC sinister plot to deny

Nigerians their fundamental rights to freedom of association and

expression.
“Justice Onnoghen should strive to uphold a judiciary that will be

seen by all Nigerians as their last hope in practice and indeed,” the

governor said.
Speaking further, the governor called for full enquiry into petitions

against Justice Okon Abang, whom he maintained was “a cancer that is

capable of destroying the entire judiciary in Nigeria if nothing is

done to curb his excesses.”
He said a judge like Abang who was described by the Court of Appeal as

giving fraudulent judgments, speaking from both sides of his mouth and

acting like Father Christmas should not be allowed any space in the

judiciary.
“Therefore, I insist that the CJN should wade into Justice Abang’s

fraudulent judgments with a view to showing him the way out of the

bench so that our judiciary can redeem its image,” Governor Fayose

said.