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Supreme Court under Onnoghen frustrated my anti-corruption war —Buhari

Published

5 years ago

January 25, 2019

President Muhammadu Buhari says the Supreme Court under the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria , Justice Walter Onnoghen , frustrated his anti – corruption war .Buhari said this while delivering his speech at the swearing – in of Justice Ibrahim Muhammad as the acting CJN .

The President said , “ It is no secret that this government is dissatisfied with the alarming rate in which the Supreme Court of Nigeria under the oversight of Justice Walter Onnoghen has serially set free , persons accused of the most dire acts of corruption , often on mere technicalities , and after quite a number of them have been convicted by the trial and appellate courts .

“ Since there is nothing the executive arm can do after the apex court of the land has spoken on any matter, several of these individuals walk free among us today , enjoying what are clearly the proceeds of the corruption which for so long has defeated the efforts of this nation to develop and prosper .

“ It is against this background that I have received the Order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal directing me to suspend the Chief Justice pending final determination of the cases against him . It also explains why I am not only complying immediately but with some degree of relief for the battered sensibilities of ordinary Nigerians whose patience must have become severely over -taxed by these anomalies . ”