ONNOGHEN’S SUSPENSION: It’s an Islamic agenda that must be resisted, Christian Elders say

National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF) has called on Nigerians not to vote Islamists into power in 2019 to ensure an end to the “recurring decimal of violence, conflicts, suspicion, distrust, insecurity, poverty and other vices plaguing Nigeria.”

The group stated this on Wednesday in response to the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Describing the suspension as an Islamic agenda, the body urged Nigerians to mobilise themselves to resist the Islamists in the country.

In a statement signed by its chairman, Solomon Asemota (SAN), and entitled, “CJN Onnoghen: What is really at stake and the way out,” the NCEF’s said the President’s decision to suspend Onnoghen  was a “judicial coup.”

He regretted the apparent unwillingness of Christians and other Nigerians to understand the core problem of the country.

“In 2015, Nigerians unwittingly elected an Islamist government into office, supposedly on a platform of democracy. It is with this as background that the questionable suspension of the CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen, should be situated. The ‘judicial coup’ is not only against the judiciary, but also the constitution that is under attack and with it, the sovereignty of the Nigerian state as a democratic nation,” Asemota said.

Noting that the group was ever committed to prayerfully support Christian presidential candidates and indeed any candidates who would be committed and loyal to the tenets of liberal democracy, human rights and equality under the law, Asemota said the Islamists that belonged to the Salafist sect believed that modern society should run according to the 6th century pattern of Islam.

He said, “Islamism is not a religion but a political ideology which holds that wherever Islam is, Islam must dominate.

“That is one reason why Islamism is called ‘political Islam’. However, while all Islamists are Muslims, all Muslims are not Islamists. The National Christian Elders Forum is calling on Nigerians to mobilise to resist the Islamists in Nigeria and ensure that they do not return to power again so that Nigerians can concentrate on building a just and equitable society.

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“In order to put an end to the recurring decimal of violence, conflicts, suspicion, distrust, insecurity, poverty and other vices plaguing Nigeria, NCEF reiterates that Nigerians should ensure that Islamists are not voted into power in 2019,” the statement added.

Members of NCEF include Lt.Gen. Theophilus  Danjuma (retd.),  Solomon Asemota (SAN),  Prof. Joseph Otubu, Gen. Joshua Dogonyaro (retd.), Dr  Kate Okpareke, Dr Ayo Abifarin, Gen. Zamani Lekwot (retd.), Elder Moses Ihonde, Elder Nat Okoro and Elder Matthew Owojaiye.

Others are Justice Kalajine Anigbogu (retd.), Elder Shyngle Wigwe, a former Deputy Inspector-General of  Police, L. Dabup, Sir John W. Bagu, Dr Saleh Hussaini, Elder Mike Orobator, Justice James Ogebe, JSC (retd.), Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Chief Debo Omotosho, Dame Priscilla Kuye, Dr S. D. Gani, Mrs Osaretin Demuren and  Prof. Yussuf Turaki.

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