Group demands resignation of CJN for pro-Sharia stance

Rejects new Christian marriage fees
Ecumenical Youth Association (EYA) has given Justice Ibrahim Tanko seven days to resign as Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) for allegedly advocating constitutional amendment for more Sharia contents.

The group threatened that should the CJN fail to resign, it would petition the National Judicial Council (NJC) requesting his removal from office.

Briefing journalists yesterday in Abuja, president of association, Daboikiabo Warmate, described the CJN’s call for an expansion of the Sharia jurisprudence beyond personal matters in the constitution as dangerous, as it justified the struggle for establishment of an Islamic state by Boko Haram, and other jihadist groups.

EYA also rejected the introduction of a new marriage policy by the Ministry of Interior, which requires churches to compulsory pay N30,000 licence charge for conduct of statutory marriage in churches and N21,000 for each marriage certificate issued.

Warmate said instead of the CJN to demand for respect for court judgements by the government and address other very important state matters like restructuring, justice reforms and electoral reform, he turned himself into an advocate of religious law in a multi-religious country like Nigeria.

He said, “We are a nation built on the rule of law. The statement of the CJN is an insult to the sensibility of the framers of our constitution. It can be considered as a breach of the conscience and rights of Christians.

“This shows that the CJN has little faith in the constitution he has sworn to uphold. It’s a weighty comment that cannot be taken at the surface level, especially considering the position he occupies.”

Though the association agreed with President Muhammadu Buhari that Nigerians should, under no circumstance, let terrorists divide them by turning Christians against the Muslims, it urged Buhari to stop paying lip service to the protection of lives and property of Christians and Nigerians in general.

Alleging that kidnapping and killings of Christians and burning of churches had got to an unacceptable proportion, it urged the president to reconsider his decision on the Visa on Arrival policy to all African countries.

The group also called for a more honest effort from the Federal Government in tackling the insecurity in the country, while appealing to the United Nations (UN), the European Union (EU), the United States (U.S.) and the British government to prevail on Buhari to drop anti-Christian policies.

It urged Buhari to prevail on the Minister of Interior to withdraw the Christian marriage charges of N51,000 expected to be paid by couples and churches.