CCT’s conviction of Onnoghen a blessing to Nigeria’s anti-corruption fight – CACINI

“President Buhari’s relentless battle against corruption is finally yielding result and the era of untouchable criminal in government is gradually fading.  “Nigeria needs a leader like Alhaji Muhammadu Buhari, who is very determined to eradicate corruption in Nigerian system and put a stop to the regimes of the untouchable criminals in the system.”

The conviction of the former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen, by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) over charges of breach of the code of conduct for public officers has been described as a welcome development and a blessing to the Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government’s fight against corruption in Nigeria.

This description was given in a statement by Crusade Against Corruption and Injustice in Nigeria (CACINI) sent to The DEFENDER on Friday.

In the statement signed by its President-General, Mr. Waheed Seriki, CACINI said the erstwhile Chief Justice’s conviction is a sign that the battles against corruption and injustice is winning in the country, where most of the public office holders “dine and wine in corruption” and where, according to it, corruption is a way of life of most people.

“The conviction of the former chief justice will be a lesson to the corrupt politicians and top government officials, who see public office as an avenue to enrich themselves at the detriment of the country.

“President Buhari’s relentless battle against corruption is finally yielding result and the era of untouchable criminal in government is gradually fading.

“Nigeria needs a leader like Alhaji Muhammadu Buhari, who is very determined to eradicate corruption in Nigerian system and put a stop to the regimes of the untouchable criminals in the system.

“Corruption almost collapsed Nigeria’s economy and almost dented the image of the country in the eyes of the globe before Alhaji Buhari assumed office as President’s in 2015.  The world had before then seen Nigerians as fraudsters and criminals who were very dangerous to transact business with.  Nigeria as a nation was rated as high risk nation to transact business because of the corruption in our system.

“Nigeria was gradually becoming forbidden country to invest in by investors during the time of 16 years of PDP rule and most especially, at the time of President Goodluck Jonathan. The foreign nations were afraid of transacting business nor invest in Nigeria economy because of the corrupt and criminal activities of most Nigeria leaders and top government officials.

“The three arms of government was polluted with corrupt practises before Muhammadu Buhari became president. The Nigerian judiciary that was supposed to be the last hope of the people in term of justice was becoming dashing hope of justice.

“The efforts of the Federal Government to secure justice in the charges of corrupt politicians and top public officials were always frustrated and resisted by some cabals in Nigeria, who were using the services of corrupt and indiscipline judiciary to make the justice system in the country an essential commodity that goes to the highest bidder and powers behind the looters.

“Thursday’s conviction of former Justice Walter Onnoghen is a warning sign to criminal politicians and corrupt members of the bench that era of purchasing judgment is disappearing in Nigeria and the present government is ready to sanitize the country of corruption and injustice.

“The judges who are in the habit of compromising fair and impartial justices for money and selling the fair judgement to highest bidder and influential in the society  should know that one day, justice will catch up with them as it did with Justice Onnoghen and they will be put to shame,” CACINI said.