Buhari Speaks On Reason He 'Dealt' With Ex-CJN, Onnoghen

President Muhammadu Buhari has revealed why his administration dealt with the immediate past Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen.

It could be recalled that Onnoghen was suspended in January 2019 over claims of non-declaration of assets upon his assumption of office in March 2017 and after so much money was found in his Naira and foreign accounts.

Onnoghen was tried at the Code of Conduct Tribunal and in May, he tendered his resignation.

Buhari while receiving the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and chieftains of the Pan Yoruba group, Afenifere in his office in the state House Abuja yesterday said he had to unwillingly deal with the former Chief Justice, because there were millions of dollars, euros, not to talk of naira, which were not declared.

“I will tell you as Afenifere, that was why I had to deal though reluctantly with the former Chief Justice, because there were millions of dollars, euros, not to talk of naira, which were not declared.

Stating that he wondered what sort of conscience some of those occupying public offices have, he said Onnoghen failed to do what requires of him according to the constitution, despite passing judgments on others.

"I wonder what sort of conscience some of us have. How can you seat and preside and lock people up for years and even sentence some to death and yet you are not doing what the constitution says you should do by occupying that vital institution."

"We put tribunals in all geo-political zones and they investigated those who were in charge of government money and took all of them in prison until they explained what happened to government’s money. Even I was detained, this is Nigeria."

"That was why I decided to put on agbada and see. I attempted three times up to Supreme Court and winning the fourth time thanking God and technology, I am now qualified to be a solider and a politician."

"Now what I do is when a person cannot justify what he has or fails to declare as the constitution specifies, some of them swear to almighty God that their property doesn’t belong to them until we show them their bank accounts and their companies then we have some peace.’’

Speaking on the issue of fighting corruption, the president said though he sounds like a broken record, as a military head of state, that he took everyone to prison and pronounced them guilty until they can prove themselves innocent.

"On fighting corruption, you know it again I don’t mind repeating myself even though I sound like a broken record, as a military head of state, I took everyone to prison and pronounced them guilty until they can prove themselves innocent."

Buhari further said that anybody who cannot account for what he and refuses to declare will be dealt with