Buhari speaks on arrest of judges; says corruption, not judiciary under attack
Mon Oct 10, 2016 07:50:am Politics
3.7K By sosa hills
President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday declared that the arrest of some judges in commando-like raids by security forces a day earlier did not make him a dictator as his fight is against corruption in the country and not the judiciary.
In a statement issued by Garba Shehu, Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity," he maintained that "the President reserves his highest respect for the institution of the judiciary as the third arm of government.
"To this end, the President will not do anything to undermine its independence.
President Buhari remains a committed democrat, in words and in his action, and will not take any action in violation of the constitution."
He added that "The recent surgical operation against some judicial officers is specifically targeted at corruption and not at the judiciary as an institution.
"In a robust democracy such as ours, there is bound to be a plurality of opinions on any given issue, but there is a convergence of views that the country has a corruption problem that needs to be corrected.
"But reports by a section of the media are giving us cause for concern.
"In undertaking the task of reporting, the media should be careful about the fault lines they open. It is wrong to present this incident as a confrontation between the executive and judicial arms of government.
"The Presidency has received assurances from the DSS that all due processes of the law, including the possession of search and arrest warrants were obtained before the searches.
"To suggest that the government is acting outside the law in a dictatorial manner is to breach the interest of the state."
In a statement issued by Garba Shehu, Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity," he maintained that "the President reserves his highest respect for the institution of the judiciary as the third arm of government.
"To this end, the President will not do anything to undermine its independence.
President Buhari remains a committed democrat, in words and in his action, and will not take any action in violation of the constitution."
He added that "The recent surgical operation against some judicial officers is specifically targeted at corruption and not at the judiciary as an institution.
"In a robust democracy such as ours, there is bound to be a plurality of opinions on any given issue, but there is a convergence of views that the country has a corruption problem that needs to be corrected.
"But reports by a section of the media are giving us cause for concern.
"In undertaking the task of reporting, the media should be careful about the fault lines they open. It is wrong to present this incident as a confrontation between the executive and judicial arms of government.
"The Presidency has received assurances from the DSS that all due processes of the law, including the possession of search and arrest warrants were obtained before the searches.
"To suggest that the government is acting outside the law in a dictatorial manner is to breach the interest of the state."
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