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Tag: CJN’s suspension

  • UPDATED: CCT: Onnoghen pleads not guilty to charge

    Rejects chair given him to sit
    *Preferred to stand in the dock

    Proceedings commenced on Friday at about 10.30am in the case involving the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) in Abuja.

    An official of the tribunal, who called the case, informed the tribunal that the defendant (Onnoghen) was in court.

    Tribunal Chairman, Danladi Umar insisted that Onnghen, who had sat on the front seat by the left of the tribunal sitting venue, must enter the dock, a directive the suspended CJN obeyed and went straight into the dock.

    Read Also: Justice Onnoghen enters the dock

    Onnoghen rejected a chair given to him to sit on.

    He insisted on standing and said he preferred to stand for now.

    Upon the request by the prosecution, the tribunal Chairman ordered that the charge be read to the defendant.

    An official of the tribunal read the charge to him, to which he pleaded not guilty.

    Details shortly…

  • Onnoghen: AGF files 4 processes in Industrial Court

    The Office of the Attorney- General of the Federation (AGF) has filed four processes at the National Industrial Court, Abuja, in the suit opposing the trial of Justice Walter Onnoghen before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

    Peter Abang, the claimant who is also a lawyer, had instituted the suit challenging the jurisdiction of the CCT in prosecuting Onnoghen, the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).

    At the resumed hearing of the substantive suit on Thursday, counsel to the claimant, James Igwe (SAN) informed the court that the first defendant (AGF), had on Wednesday served him with four processes.

    The processes were: notice of preliminary objection, counter affidavit to the interlocutory injunction, counter affidavit to the originating summon and application challenging the jurisdiction of the court.

    Igwe, however, said that he had responded to all the processes and was ready to proceed with the matter.

    Counsel to the other parties, however, were not in court except counsel to the AGF, Dauda Lamiri, who told the court that the processes had been served on the other defendants.

    Igwe further pointed out that there was no communication from the parties as to the reasons for their absence.

    He, therefore, suggested an adjournment in the interest of justice to all concerned.

    He equally suggested that all pending applications could be taken on the adjourned date starting with the one challenging the jurisdiction of the court.

    He said the hearing of the substantive originating summon should be considered next.

    Read Also: Onnoghen to CCT chair: you’re a biased, tainted arbiter

    Igwe said it would enable the court to have either a composite ruling or judgment as the case may be.

    The judge, Justice Sanusi Kado, adjourned the matter until March 14 for hearing of the substantive originating summon and all pending applications.

    Kado also directed that hearing notices should be served on all parties and proof of service be kept in the case file.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Onnoghen is standing trial at the CCT over alleged false declaration of assets.

    Joined as co-defendants in the suit are Code of Court Bureau (CCB), CCT Chairman, Danladi Umar, Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and The National Judicial Council (NJC).

    Others are: The Federal Judicial Service Commission, the Inspector-General of Police and the Senate President, Bukola Saraki

  • Breaking: Supreme Court strikes out Senate’s suit over CJN’s suspension

    The Supreme Court has struck out the suit filed by the Senate, challenging President Muhammadu Buhari’s suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen.

    Lawyer to the Senate, Paul Erokoro (SAN) told the court, when the case was called on Tuesday morning, that he filed a notice of discontinuance on Monday in the suit marked: SC76/2019.

    Erokoro was silent on why the plaintiff chose to discontinue the case.

    Lawyer to President Buhari, Mrs. Maimuna Lami Shiro, who led Tijani Gazali, did not object to the plaintiff’s decision to withdraw the case, following which the court struck out the suit.

    Details later…

  • Christian lawyers to Buhari: CJN’s suspension wrong

    President Muhammadu Buhari’s suspension of Justice Walter Onnoghen as Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) did not follow due process, Christian lawyers have declared.

    They said the action was a flagrant rape of the nation’s constitution and carried out in bad faith.

    In a statement under the aegies of The Christian Lawyers Fellowship of Nigeria (CLASFON), the body said only reversal of the suspension would serve the course of justice.

    CLASFON’s National President, Arome M. Okwori, in the statement said: “CLASFON is of the considered view by the President decision, the executive arm of government under the supervision of the President has precipitated a needless constitutional crisis having regard to the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 and the principles of separation of powers and checks and balances entrenched in the said Constitution”.

    The body suggested the President should have disciplined the suspended CJN instead of suspending him completely.

    “The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria1999 does not make express provision for the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria but this does not foreclose the exercise of disciplinary measures including suspension of the said judicial officer pending resolution of grave moral or criminal allegations against the holder of the important constitutional office.

    “The point we are making is that taking the radical step of suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria without recourse to the National Judicial Council (NJC) is a naked usurpation of the functions of that constitutional organ and a brazen violation of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which the President has sworn to protect and defend.

    “The Constitution, subject to its provisions on removal of certain judicial officers, has vested the NJC with power to exercise disciplinary control over all judicial officers,” the Christian lawyers explained.

     

  • CJN’s suspension: APC senators on red alert

    All Progressives Congress (APC) senators are on red alert following tomorrow’s Senate emergency session to debate the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen.

    Investigation showed that most APC senators under the aegis of the Buhari Parliamentary Support Group, are uncomfortable with the planned emergency session of the upper chamber.

    President Muhammadu announced the suspension of Justice Onnoghen on Friday and appointed Justice Tanko Mohammed as the acting CJN.

    The Senate has already concluded arrangements to reconvene tomorrow to take a position on the suspension of Justice Onnoghen.

    The Clerk to the Senate, Mr. Nelson Ayewoh, in a statement released yesterday, asked senators to resume sitting in plenary on tomorrow.

    It was gathered that the leadership of the Senate will meet ahead of tomorrow’s resumption to strategise before the resumption tomorrow. Senate President, Bukola Saraki is expected to preside over the leadership meeting.

    As at press time, Saraki was said to be conducting campaigns in home state, Kwara.

    It could not be confirmed if the leadership meeting planned to hold in Abuja would still take place.

    As source said: “As I speak to you, the Senate President is still in Offa, Kwara State. He is holding campaign meetings. From here, we will go to Ilorin. I don’t know when we will finish from here. I am also aware that a meeting of principal officers is supposed to hold this night (last night). That is all I can say.”

    APC senators are said to have concluded arrangements to meet with President Buhari today.

    Although details of the meeting with President Buhari are not yet known, it is said to have been scheduled to hold in the Presidential Villa.

    One of the APC senators, Kabiru Marafa, confirmed the meeting.

    Marafa said that the meeting is expected to hold by 7.30pm at the Presidential Villa.

    The senator’s meeting with the President may not be unconnected with strategies to counter moves by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the suspension of Justice Onnoghen.

    It was also gathered that there may a showdown in Senate between APC senators and their Peoples Democratic colleagues.

    A source said that the resumption of plenary notice by the Clerk to the Senate has raised palpable tension in the upper chamber.

    The notice of resumption reads in part: “This is to inform all Distinguished Senators of the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that resumption of plenary earlier scheduled for Tuesday, 19th February, 2019, has now been rescheduled for Tuesday, 29th January, 2019.

    “Distinguished Senators are by this notice, requested to resume sitting in plenary on Tuesday 29th January, 2019 by 10:00am prompt please.”

    According to the source, the showdown may arise if the resolution taken is against President Buhari.

    He noted that the APC senators will oppose any resolution asking President Buhari to reverse himself on the CJN.

    APC senators are in simple majority of 56 members while PDP senator are 46.

    Also yesterday, the Coalition for United Political Parties (CUPP) alleged plots to forcefully effect a change in the leadership of the two chambers of the National Assembly.

    The CUPP, at a news conference in Abuja yesterday, said the alleged plot is slated for execution tomorrow.

    Spokesman for the CUPP, Ikenga Ugochinyere, said available information indicated that some All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers in the two chambers have been mobilised to executive the plot.

    The CUPP spokesman alleged that the ruling party plans to replace Dr. Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara as Senate President and House Speaker.

  • I didn’t condemn CJN’s suspension, says  Aisha Buhari

    WIFE of the President Mrs. Aisha Buhari yesterday denied issuing any statement condemning the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen.

    According to a statement by her Director of Information Suleiman Haruna, the alleged statement credited to Mrs. Buhari where she was said to have condemned the suspension of Justice Onnoghen was fake and untrue.

    The statement reads: “The attention of the wife of the President has been drawn to a post on social media to the effect that she condemned the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria.

    “It is important to inform Nigerians that wife of the President has not made any public statements on the matter and therefore the commentary is untrue and fake.

    “This is highly condemnable and we therefore advise the purveyors of such news to recant and desist henceforth.”

    There has been a report on social media with the title: “Breaking bombshell”, alleging that the President’s wife has condemned the husband’s action for suspending the CJN.

    The report which had been feasted on by the social media quoted Mrs. Buhari as saying: “I totally condemn the illegal suspension of Chief Justice of Nigeria Justice Walter Onnoghen. That desperate move is not just SHAMEFUL but UNWISE.

    “We have a constitution that is supreme and it must be unsentimentally respected. I implore Nigerians, especially our teeming youths to rise up and defend Nigeria before some very selfish individuals destroy us all.”

  • CJN’s suspension an aberration, says Olawepo-Hashim

    Presidential candidate of Peoples Trust (PT) in the February 16, 2019 election, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has called for international sanctions against officials of the executive arm of the Federal Government, declaring that the suspension of the Chief Justice of the Federation (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, by President Muhammadu Buhari was a descent to full-blown dictatorship.

    The presidential hopeful, in a statement on Friday, said that the development was an aberration to the laws of Nigeria and an indication that the country had again fallen into dictatorship.

    He said: “This is a clear indication that we have returned to full-blown dictatorship. Following the suspension of the Chief Justice of the Federation, we are seeing full-blown dictatorship in Nigeria. It is an abyss, an aberration and a clear violation of our laws.

    “We will not allow Nigeria to fall into dictatorship anymore.

    “I call on all lovers of Nigeria and democracy and the international community to immediately impose sanctions on officials of the executive arm of government, their families, including their friends and associates.”

    Olawepo Hashim enumerated the sanctions to be imposed on officials of the Buhari government to include immediate travel ban on executive office holders at the federal level, freeze on their bank accounts and refusal of visa, including on health grounds “to members of the executive arm of government, their friends, families and associates.”