Ex-President Buhari Accused Of Electoral Fraud In Onnoghen Saga: Edwin Clark Speaks Out
Elder statesman Chief Edwin Clark has accused former President Muhammadu Buhari and his Attorney-General, Abubakar Malami, of orchestrating the removal of former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, to manipulate the 2019 presidential election.
Clark, in a strongly worded letter to the current CJN, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, called Onnoghen’s suspension a “disgraceful, callous, and barbaric” act that undermined Nigeria’s judicial independence. He praised the recent Court of Appeal ruling that acquitted Onnoghen of false asset declaration charges, labeling the judgment a step toward justice.
Clark alleged that Onnoghen’s removal was a strategic move by the Buhari administration to clear obstacles to their re-election agenda.
“President Buhari humiliated and oppressed Justice Onnoghen, all because he stood as a barrier to their plans for the 2019 elections,” Clark claimed. “This was a deliberate effort to manipulate the electoral process, a dark chapter Nigeria is only beginning to recover from.”
He criticized the silence of key institutions, such as the Nigerian Bar Association and the National Judicial Council, during Onnoghen’s ordeal, and urged President Bola Tinubu to uphold judicial integrity and avoid shielding political actors from accountability.
Defending Buhari’s actions, a former official from his administration stated that Onnoghen was suspended due to irregularities in his asset declarations, which the ex-CJN admitted.
“Records from the Code of Conduct Bureau show that Onnoghen declared his assets only twice—when he was appointed acting CJN and when confirmed as CJN. He admitted this lapse, which justified his suspension,” the official argued.
The source suggested that the Court of Appeal’s acquittal of Onnoghen was a “political resolution” rather than a legal exoneration.
Clark noted an irony in Onnoghen’s ordeal, recalling how the same Justice Onnoghen ruled in Buhari’s favor during the 2011 presidential election case.
“For Buhari to turn around and humiliate Onnoghen is shameful and an affront to the judiciary,” Clark stated.
He called for a reform of Nigeria’s judicial system, emphasising the importance of independence and impartiality. “No individual, not even a president, should be above the law,” he added.
Despite the controversy, Clark expressed hope in the judiciary’s efforts to restore its credibility. He commended Justice Kekere-Ekun and the Court of Appeal for their role in vindicating Onnoghen.
As debates about executive interference in judicial matters resurface, many Nigerians await President Tinubu’s actions to address the lingering legacy of judicial manipulation and promote an impartial legal system.
