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Senators on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have dissociated themselves from the decision of the Senate to approach the Supreme Court over the controversial suspension of Justice Walter Onnoghen as the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).
A statement by Yusuph Olaniyonu, the media aide to Senate President Bukola Saraki, announced that the Senate had filed a suit at the Supreme Court to seek legality of Mr Onnoghen’s removal by President Muhammadu Buhari.
But in a press release issued Monday evening, the APC caucus in the Senate said they were not part of the decision as no meeting was convened to approve the move.
The statement signed by Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, reads:
“It has come to the notice of the Senate APC Caucus that the Senate has approached the Supreme Court for the interpretation of the suspension of Justice Walter Onnoghen by the President Commnnder-ln-Chief of the Armed Forces.
For the records, the Senate never met to take such a resolution and at no time mandated anyone to approach the Supreme Court on this matter on its behalf.
Consequently. the Senate APC Caucus dissociates itself from the said request for the legal interpretation of the suspension”.
The Senate leadership has however insisted that a meeting was held before the decision was taken.
Special Assistant to the Senate President on New Media, Olu Onemola, wrote in a statement:
“Please note:
Issues like going to court on behalf of the Senate has never been a decision taken to the floor or plenary. It is a decision for the leadership of the Senate.
The leadership consists of 10 members.
The Senate President got the support or consent of a very good majority of the ten on the need to seek interpretation from the apex court.
It would be recalled that the Senate APC caucus met with President Buhari in Abuja on Sunday over the matter although details of the meeting were not made public.