Elder statesman Chief Edwin Clark has made explosive claims against former President Muhammadu Buhari.
He accused Buhari of oppressing and humiliating Justice Walter Onnoghen, the former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), in order to secure his second term in office during the 2019 presidential election.
In a letter addressed to the current CJN, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Clark expressed his disappointment over the way Onnoghen was treated and criticized the decision that led to his removal.
Clark alleged that Buhari, with the help of his then Attorney-General, Abubakar Malami, orchestrated Onnoghen’s suspension as part of a broader strategy to eliminate any opposition to the alleged manipulation of the 2019 election.
“As for the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, in his own case, ‘a Daniel has come to judgment,’” Clark said. “I knew he was not fairly treated; he was oppressed and humiliated by President Buhari and Malami.”
The former CJN was accused of falsely declaring assets, a case that Clark described as unjust. The Court of Appeal, however, later acquitted Onnoghen of all charges.
Clark described the circumstances surrounding Onnoghen’s suspension as unconstitutional. According to him, the National Judicial Council and the National Assembly were not involved in the decision-making process as required by law.
“This was a violation of the law,” Clark said. “The right process was not followed, and that is why the judgment is unjust.”
Reflecting on the 2019 election, Clark claimed that Onnoghen’s removal was part of a larger scheme to ensure there was no judicial opposition to the electoral process.
Clark’s accusations were pointed. He claimed that Buhari, who had benefitted from Onnoghen’s judgment in a 2011 Supreme Court case that affirmed his victory, saw Onnoghen’s continued role as CJN as a potential threat to his re-election ambitions in 2019.
“He allowed him to rise to the post of CJN but he saw that, that was not good enough for him,” Clark said. “If Justice Onnoghen remained as CJN, he would have stopped the mess and mischievous things they wanted to carry out during the election.”
According to Clark, the decision to remove Onnoghen was not merely political—it was personal and part of an effort to control the judiciary.
“The best thing was to remove him,” Clark continued. “This was the secret plan between President Buhari and his Attorney General, Abubakar Malami. They wanted to ensure Onnoghen would not stand in the way of their agenda.”
Clark did not hold back in describing the manner in which Onnoghen was treated. He condemned the “show of shame” that occurred during the removal, calling it “disgraceful, callous, unjust, and barbaric.”
“The President of Nigeria, who swore to an oath to maintain the security and welfare of Nigerians, chose to stoop so low to humiliate a fellow Nigerian just so he could secure a second term in office,” Clark said. “It is a shame which Nigeria has just recovered from.”
The events surrounding Onnoghen’s removal remain controversial in Nigeria. Many critics see it as part of a broader trend of judicial interference under the Buhari administration.
For some, the issue is not just about Onnoghen’s removal, but about the way power was used to subvert the judicial process and manipulate the country’s political system.
Clark’s accusations reflect long-standing concerns about the separation of powers in Nigeria, with many arguing that the judiciary has been compromised under the Buhari administration.
At the heart of Clark’s criticism is the idea that Buhari’s government was willing to do anything to ensure its political survival, even if it meant undermining the very institutions that are meant to uphold justice.
Clark’s letter also included a message to the current administration under President Bola Tinubu. He urged the new government to ensure that no one is above the law, regardless of their position.
“President Tinubu’s government must not allow sacred cows to exist in Nigeria,” Clark said. “There is no one who is above the law in his own country. A president of a country is just one of the ordinary members in the country, but once elected, enjoys immunity.”
Clark’s comments reflect the continuing debate in Nigeria over the power of the executive branch and its relationship with the judiciary.
While some Nigerians have praised Tinubu for his efforts to bring change to the country, others are concerned about the potential for continued political manipulation and interference in the judiciary.
