Ekiti State Governor and Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP), Mr Ayodele Fayose has hailed the Acting President, Prof Yemi
Osinbajo for sending the name of Justice Walter Onnoghen to the senate
for confirmation as the substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN),
saying; “The action of the Acting President has saved the judiciary in
particular and Nigeria in general from unnecessary tension.”
The governor, who said Nigeria will only be great if institutions were
allowed to operate without interference, added that; “It is better to
build strong institutions that will run on their own than to rely on
strong leaders. Look at what is happening in the United States,
judgment was delivered and no one waited for President Donald Trump to
speak before obeying the judgment. That is how things should run in a
normal clime.”
According to a statement issued on Thursday by his Special Assistant
on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Governor
Fayose, while reacting to the submission of Justice Onnoghen’s name to
the Senate by the Acting President, noted that; “If President
Muhammadu Buhari had listened to wise counsel, things would not have
degenerated to this sordid extent.”
He said inspite of the submission of Justice Onnoghen’s name to the
Senate, those who out of their own selfishness foisted the position of
Acting CJN on Nigeria for the first time in the history of the
judiciary in the country will answer for their conspiracy one day.
The governor maintained that himself and other Nigerians that insisted
on the appointment of Justice Onnoghen as the substantive CJN not so,
not for Justice Onnoghen as a person, but to uphold the sanctity of
the office of the judiciary, which is the last hope of the common man.
The governor said; “Five days ago, I called on Acting President
Osinbajo to do the needful by simply sending Justice Onnoghen’s name
to the Senate as recommended by the NJC and I am glad that Prof
Osinbayo, who himself is a lawyer listened to Nigerians and saved the
judiciary from crisis.
“On this one, Prof Osinbajo has shown that he listens, unlike
President Muhammadu Buhari that has ruled the country like a military
dictator. I salute the Acting President.”
Speaking further, Governor Fayose said; “Like I have maintained, we
didn’t fight for Justice Onnoghen as an individual. What we fought for
and still fighting for is the oneness of Nigeria and the sanctity of
the judiciary.