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Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari has said the criticism he has received from the EU, UK and the US over the suspension of the chief justice is based on rush and uninformed opinion.

Linking the removal of Judge Walter Onnoghen to the election was "illogical", his spokesman said.

Justice Onnoghen is facing charges over allegedly failing to declare his personal assets before taking office.

Nigeria's presidential and legislative elections will be held on 16 February.

The EU, UK and US have criticised the suspension of Justice Onnoghen , who took office in 2017, suggesting it could "cast a pall over the electoral process".

The Nigerian government reacted to the comment saying its "friends" had acted in "haste" and did not have a deeper understanding of the situation.

Atiku Abubakar - the main challenger to Mr Buhari in the presidential election - called Justice Onnoghen's suspension "an act of dictatorship".

'Illogical link'

Justice Onnoghen's refusal to step down voluntarily forced the president to act, presidential spokesman Garba Shehu said.

"To link the [chief justice] to the elections in this way is illogical unless they assume that election complaints will be filed and go all the way to the Supreme Court," Mr Shehu added.

"The [chief justice] does not run the election. Nor is he the first arbiter of any electoral complaints."

The suspension was temporary until the conclusion of the case being heard by a Code of Conduct Tribunal, he said.

He said that the none of the western countries would allow a person, "enmeshed in legal uncertainty to preside over your legal systems until the cloud has been cleared from him".