- The presidency describes the ruling of the CCT on Onnoghen as victory for the fight against corruption
- The presidency says the outcome of the trial of Onnoghen proves that the law will no longer respect anybody
- Garba Shehu states that public officials will be held accountable for their actions in office
Hours after the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) recommended the sack of embattled Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen, the presidency has reacted describing it as an end to impunity.
The presidency further said the decision of the CCT was a major victory for the war against corruption as is being fought by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Garba Shehu, a spokesperson to the president, said the outcome of the prosecution showed that the law no longer respects anybody.
READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda
Vanguard reports Shehu as saying the trial of Onnoghen further showed that the law does not respect titles and social or political connections.
“The war against corruption is all encompassing and is not designed to persecute anyone for political or other reasons.
“The rule of law would lose its meaning and validity if only the weak, the poor and powerless are punished for their violations of the law. Countries succeed because the rule of law is evenly upheld and enforced,” he said.
Shehu added that the war against corruption would go nowhere if the high and mighty are spared because of their influence and connections.
“You can’t fight corruption by allowing impunity because the rule of law cannot function where impunity is tolerated,” he said while explaining that the conviction of Justice Onnoghen should be a lesson and signal to that public officials would be held accountable
PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigeria’s #1 news app
Legit.ng earlier reported how Nigerians reacted to the sack of Onnoghen by the Code of Conduct Tribunal on Thursday, April 18, which found the embattled Chief Justice of Nigeria guilty of the charges of false and non-declaration of assets preferred against him.
The chairman of the CCT had said in his ruling:
1. The defendant is hereby removed as the Chief Justice of Nigeria and also as the Chairman of the National Judicial Council.
2. That the defendant has also been banned from holding any public office in Nigeria for the next 10 years.
3. That all monies in the five accounts which were not declared by the defendant be confiscated, seized and forfeited to the federal government as they were all acquired illegally by the defendant.
NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better.
Is Nigeria truly the 6th most miserable country in the world? | Legit TV
Source: Legit.ng
