Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers state, says the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is worse than the military era.
Wike said this during the inter-denominational service held to mark the year’s armed forces remembrance day.
Accusing the government of poor human rights record, Wike said Nigerians would resist any attempt to “deliberately truncate the nation’s democracy”.
He said the plan to arraign Walter Onnoghen, chief justice of Nigeria, is aimed at “frightening the judiciary, ahead of the attempt to manipulation of the polls”.
The governor added that the trial of Onnoghen is targeted at the Niger Delta.
“Since 1960 when Nigeria gained independence, for the first time in 2011, a Niger Delta person became the president. The entire country ganged up against him,” he said.
“They gave excuses and denied us a second term. We did not fight. We did not shed blood. He said his ambition was not worth the blood of any Nigerian and they called him a weak man.
“Since 1960, no Niger Delta person has been the chief justice of Nigeria. When it came to his own time to be appointed the chief justice of Nigeria politics came in. They were not willing to appoint him. It was God that created the circumstances. The president was sick and was flown out. That was how Onoghen became the chief justice of Nigeria.
“Now, because they believe that the Niger Delta is not part of this country, they have come again with all kinds of stories. They think they are talking to small children. Fabricated stories and said he did not declare his assets in 2011. Step aside for who take over? We must know whether or not we belong to this country. Enough is enough. I have never seen people who are so desperate to cling to power.
“Nigeria will resist any attempt to truncate this democracy. “We are no longer in a democracy. This system is worse than the military. Even under the military, opinions of the people count.
“In order for them to consolidate in their rigging machinery, they want to gag the judiciary. The only that they want to do is to intimidate the judiciary.
“How can an attorney general who calls himself an attorney general sit and file such charges against the chief justice of Nigeria one month to the general election. What kind of crisis are they setting up. They want to cause crisis in the judiciary and they think everyone should keep quiet?”
