Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday accused the Presidency of plotting to destabilize and annex the Judiciary ahead of the 2019 general elections.
The PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and cabal in the Presidency were hounding Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen.
The CJN is to be arraigned before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) for his alleged failure to declare his assets.
The opposition party accused the APC-led government of plotting to remove Onnoghen and install a pliable CJN that would do its bidding on electoral matters.
The statement read in part: “This development is a clear recipe for anarchy and a huge crisis that is capable of fracturing our justice system and derail our democracy as it portends a prelude to a total clamp down on institutions of democracy and rule of law in our country.
“The PDP, therefore, urges all Nigerians, the United Nations and all international bodies to unite in the defence of our democracy, especially at this very critical time in our political development.
“Moreover, if President Buhari is committed to cleaning up the system as he claims, we challenge him to allow the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, whose tenure has expired and who had also been rejected by Nigerians due to his manifest partisanship, to go.
“President Buhari should also ask Amina Zakari to excuse herself from INEC following her rejection by Nigerians over issues of impropriety in her appointment as Chairperson of the Presidential election collation committee.
“Furthermore, we challenge Mr. President to also commence plans for the immediate prosecution of members of his campaign organization, including his co-Chairman, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and the factional National Chairman of his APC, Adams Oshiomhole over allegations of corruption against them,” the PDP stated.