Ben Bruce-Murray tells Ezekwesili to stop shedding crocodile tears as she encouraged Buhari to assault judiciary

BAYELSA East Senatorial District lawmaker Senator Ben Bruce-Murray has attacked former presidential aspirant Dr Obiageli Ezekwesili's criticism of President Muhammadu Buhari's recent suspension of the chief justice of Nigeria labelling her stance hypocritical.

Yesterday, President Buhari suspended the embattled Justice Walter Onnoghen and replaced him with Justice Tanko Mohammed, who was sworn-in as the acting chief judge of Nigeria. Over recent few weeks, Justice Onnoghen has been involved in intense political jockeying with the government that involved him being charged before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

Justice Onnoghen has challenged the jurisdiction of the CCT to try him and filed a motion to that effect, with several other legal suits on the matter also pending. While the case was still in court, with several injunctions granted preventing the government from acting on the matter, however, President Buhari has suspended Justice Onnoghen, attracting widespread condemnation.

Dr Ezekwesili, who has just pulled out of the presidential race, was one of those criticised President Buhari, saying his actions are unconstitutional and tantamount to an assault on the judiciary. However Senator Bruce-Murray has asked Dr Ezekwesili to stop shedding crocodile tears because she had fallen out with the president.

According to Senator Bruce-Murray, Dr Ezekwesili contributed to this development, adding that she once supported President Buhari’s fight against the judiciary in 2016. On his Twitter page, Senator Bruce wrote: “Dear Ezekwesili, you supported Buhari when he started his war against the judiciary in 2016.

“On this same Twitter, I warned you and others like you that if you praised him then, you are only encouraging him to do worse. You contributed to this Oby.

“You clapped in 2016 when the war against the judiciary began. Today, because you have fallen out with the tyrant you are shedding crocodile tears?

“Have some decency and save what is left of your tattered reputation. People like you brought us to this point with your gullibility.”