Onnoghen: Atiku likens Buhari to military dictator, calls him “General”
Presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has likened President Muhammadu Buhari’s style of governance to the military days.
Atiku, during a press conference in Abuja on Monday (today), echoed former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s claim that Buhari is walking in the shoes of late military dictator General Sani Abacha.
The PDP flag bearer was commenting on the unconstitutional removal of CJN Walter Onnoghen.
“The serial disregard of court orders, and consequent violation of constitutionally guaranteed human rights of our citizens confirms beyond all doubt that General Buhari and his government would rather obey their own whims and operate by separate rules outside the well-established constitutional order and the rule of law,” Atiku said.
“It scarcely requires emphasis that this behaviour is alien to democratic rule and more in line with that of a military dictator.
“We are all witnesses to how this government has serially assaulted the National Assembly, a separate arm of government that represents the bastion of our democracy. However, with this attack on the judiciary, General Buhari has set a new precedent in our democracy that has no equivalence in our history, not even in the darkest days of military dictatorship. This cannot be allowed to stand.”
He added that Buhari must leave room for a free and fair election next month.
“General Muhammadu Buhari must remember that he is a beneficiary of a free and fair election. It is therefore a matter of honour for him to allow a political environment and process that gives confidence to everyone,” Atiku said.
Buhari had, in the lead up to the general elections in 2015, kicked against being referred to as “General” as he claimed he was a democrat committed to the rule of law.
