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Tag: Awassam Bassey

  • Breaking: Suspended CJN, Onnoghen resigns

    The suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen has resigned from office.

    A senior lawyer in suspended CJN’s defence team in his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) told The Nation that Onnoghen put in a resignation letter on Thursday, which he sent to the office of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    READ ALSO: How we investigated suspended CJN, by CCB investigator

    “I spoke with him a moment and he confirmed that he has voluntarily resigned. He said he did that yesterday,” the source said.‎

    Efforts to get a formal confirmation or denial from the Supreme Court and Onnoghen’s spokeman, Awassam Bassey has been unsuccessful.

    Bassey failed to pick calls to his mobile telephone.

    Details shortly.

  • Breaking: I’ve not resigned, says Onnoghen

    Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen has put a lie to the speculation that he has resigned.

    Justice Onnoghen has scheduled the swearing-in of members of the 2019 National Assembly, Governorship & State Assembly Election Petition Tribunals for January 26 (Saturday).

    The CJN’s spokesman, Awassam Bassey made this public in a brief statement on Friday morning.

    Bassey described as “fake news” the speculation that Justice Onnoghen has resigned.

    He said: “There’s absolutely no truth in the rumours making the round that the Hon. Chief Justice of Nigeria, His Lordship Hon. Mr. Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen, GCON, has resigned his office. It is fake news!

    Read Also: Onnoghen reaffirms commitment of judiciary to ensure justice, peace

    “The Hon CJN was in the office all through yesterday and sat in court.

    “As part of his duties, the Hon CJN will be swearing in members of the 2019 National Assembly, Governorship & State Assembly Election Petition Tribunals tomorrow (Saturday 26th January 2019).“

  • CJN commiserates with family of late Justice Musdapher

    CJN commiserates with family of late Justice Musdapher

    The Chief Justice of Nigeria ( CJN ), Justice Walter Onnoghen, has condoled with the immediate family of former CJN, Justice Dahiru Musdapher, who passed on early hours of Tuesday in a London hospital.

    Mr Awassam Bassey, Special Adviser on Media to the CJN, disclosed this in a telephone interview in Abuja.

    Bassey said the CJN had directed the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court to officially send his (Onnoghen) condolences to the immediate family of the late jurist.

    “The CJN had visited the late Justice Musdapher while on admission in a London Hospital. He has described his death as painful and a lost to the judiciary,’’ Bassey said.

    Read also: Ex- CJN Dahiru Musdapher dies at 75

    Musdapher was appointed the Chief Justice of Nigeria in 2011.

    He did serve as Chief Judge of the Kano State Judiciary from 1979 to 1985, and a member of the Court of Appeal from 1985 until 2003.

    The late jurist retired from the bench five years ago on attaining the mandatory retirement age of 70.

    He hailed from Bani Ya’muusa clan in Babura town in Babura Local Government Area of Jigawa State.

    NAN

  • CJN, NJC yet to receive Justice Salami’s letter declining appointment

    CJN, NJC yet to receive Justice Salami’s letter declining appointment

    The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen and the National Judicial Council (NJC) are yet to be formally informed of Justice Ayo Salami’s rejection of his appointment as the Chairman of the Anti-Corruption Cases Trial Monitoring Committee recently set up by the NJC.

    Spokesman to the CJN, Awassam Bassey and a senior official of the NJC told The Nation Thursday that a formal letter from Justice Salami on the issue has not been received.

    They said the information about Justice Salami’s purported rejection of his appointment still remain in the realm of rumour.

    Bassey, in a text message, said: “I refer to the issue you raised this morning and I can confirm that it is true; I mean the resignation of Hon. Mr. Justice Ayo Salami (Retired).

    “Besides what we see in the media, we cannot exactly say what Justice Salami’s reasons are for declining to undertake this all-important national assignment that he was called upon to perform.

    “His Lordship the Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria awaits Hon Salami’s letter of resignation. That is all I can say at this moment.

    “A more detailed response will be communicated to you when we receive Hon. Mr. Justice Salami’s letter,” Bassey said.

    The Nation learnt yesterday that the NJC would take a position on the issue today, following which a formal statement could be issued for public consumption.