CUPP condemns trial of CJN, alleges APC plans to manipulate 2019 elections

The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has condemned the planned arraignment of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen.

The coalition said it was a ploy by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to “To fix the last missing piece of their rigging machinery.”

In a statement signed by its national spokesperson, Ikemba Úgo Chinyere, it said the ordeal of the CJN was not unexpected knowing that “The Presidency had during the appointment of Justice Onnoghen shown its card that it was not comfortable with his appointment hence it was delayed until President Buhari was hurried out of the country due to perennial illness.”

CUPP added that Onnoghen’s ordeal was also because he has since shown that he is fair, firm, and able to do justice and will not succumb to the pressures of a Presidency that is planning to rig an election as the only hope of winning a re-election following their rejection by the Nigerian people.

The statement said: “This dastardly move by the Presidency is the last desperate acts of an outgoing government to blackmail the CJN out of office and bring in a rouge judge to allow APC rigging.

“The President had refused to sign the Electoral Act Amendment into law thereby neutralizing the legislature on issues concerning this election; he had serially disobeyed court orders thereby abused and destroyed our courts by that, severally abused the fundamental rights of citizens.

“He has compromised the security agencies by manipulating the leadership of all of them including illegally extending the tenure of the Inspector General of Police;

“The INEC and indeed all other agencies of the State have been intimidated and harassed to do the bidding of an unpopular tyrant and would be deployed to deny Nigerians their will at the polls.

“Knowing that the Supreme Court would not pander to their whims and approve their rigging of the elections, they have resorted to this arm twisting tactics.”