Former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen on Friday opened up on the real reason for his removal from office. According to him, he was removed by President Muhammadu Buhari because of a rumour that he held a meeting with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in Dubai in the build up to the 2019 general elections.
Both Buhari and Atiku were presidential candidates in the election.
Onnoghen, who spoke in Abuja during a book launch, said: “Prior to my suspension, I was confronted with no allegation. There were rumours that I met with Atiku in Dubai. As I am talking here today, I have never met Atiku one-on-one in my life. As if that was not enough, I was also accused of setting free, high-profile criminals, whereas I ceased to be a High Court judge as far back as 1978.
“In the Supreme Court, I did not sit alone. We sit in a panel. In all these rumours and outright accusations, I was not given opportunity to defend myself.
“Let me make it clear that the office of the CJN was not for Onnoghen but for all Nigerians who had sworn to guide and protect the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. To say the least, the period of my ordeal was the darkest era in the history of the Nigerian judiciary.”
