Buhari group taunts PDP over Onnoghen’s ‘resignation’

Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) has called out the leadership of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) has to “hide their faces in shame” following the resignation of the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen.

BMO said this in a statement signed by its coordinator, Niyi Akinsiju, and Secretary Cassidy Madueke, saying the manner the PDP defended Onnoghen, who was accused of corruption, has shown that the party “still supports and glorifies corruption.”

President Muhammadu Buhari had suspended the former CJN and appointed Justice Tanko Mohammed to act in his stead, on the claims that the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) asked him to do so against Onnoghen.

CCT had given the directive to Buhari following a case brought to it which accused Onnoghen of not declaring some of his assets.

But the opposition PDP had criticised the manner in which President Muhammadu Buhari suspended Onnoghen, describing it as being politically motivated.

However, Onnoghen, who had run to different courts to challenge his suspension, allegedly tendered his resignation last week after the Nigerian Judicial Council (NJC), who waded into the matter, recommended that he be retired with immediate effect.

BMO, reacting to his resignation, claimed Buhari has proved that he acted in national interest by suspending the tainted Chief Justice.

“Nigerians all saw the manner PDP and its leaders, including its former Presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, ran from pillar to post before the election in a bid to defend Justice Onnoghen.

“The party leaders even suspended their flagging Presidential campaign at that time for 72 hours! Just to be seen to be fighting perceived injustice, but discerning Nigerians knew they were playing to the gallery.

“They were quick to shout political witch-hunt to the high heavens and that was in spite of the overwhelming evidence which they insisted on not interrogating because the CJN’s suspension tallied with the wrong impression of a dictatorial government that PDP was keen on selling to the electorates in the run up to the election.

“And now that Onnoghen has done what he should have done in the first instance rather than engage in judicial rigmarole, does it not amount to a smear on what is left of the character of these PDP elements,” BMO’s statement read in part.