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

    Suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen has why explained he cannot stand for trial before chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) Danladi Umar because he is a biased and tainted arbiter.

    Onnoghen, who argued, among others, that justice is rooted in confidence, said he has no confidence in Umar’s capacity to do justice in his case.

    He accused Umar of being the sole mind behind the ex-parte order on which President Muhammadu Buhari acted to suspend him (Onnoghen).

    The suspended CJN, who described Umar as “a tainted arbiter” by virtue of the charge filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), “for receiving money bribe in the sum of N10, 000, 000.00 in charge No: CR/109/18 in FCT High Court,” argued that it was impossible for the CCT Chair to act with a fair mind.

    Onnoghen asked Umar to disqualify himself in respect of the non-assets declaration charge pending against him (Onnoghen) before the CCT.

    The suspended CJN made this argument in a motion filed for him on Monday by a team of lawyers led by Chris Uche (SAN).

    The content of the motion seems a direct response to the directive given, on February 4 this year, by the CCT Chairman, to the effect that Onnoghen must attend the next proceedings at the CCT for him to be arraigned on the charge pending against him.

    The motion on notice particularly, prayed the tribunal for an order directing “the honourable Chairman of the tribunal, Honourable Danladi Umar to disqualify/recuse himself from further participating in the adjudication of this case on the ground of real likelihood of bias.”

    The grounds on which the prayer is made, include that “the Chairman has constructively convicted the defendant (The Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria) sought to be arraigned before him without either hearing from him or his being formally arraigned before him.

    “The Chairman authored and signed an ex parte order directing an unconvicted man to step aside on account of a charge not yet before him as the Chief Justice of Nigeria, which is in itself a conviction prior to arraignment and plea/trial.

    “The Chairman had directed the Executive arm of government, contrary to the express provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and without reference to the National Judicial Council, the replacement of the office and role of the Chief Justice of Nigeria by his own nominee and appointee in the person of Hon Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad JSC.

    “The Chairman, on 23th January, 2019, entertained a motion ex-parte not moved by any known prosecutor, bearing the same title, charge number and purported accused person/defendant, Hon justice Waiter Samuel Onnoghen, CJN, GCON, dated 9th January 2019, which substantially predetermined the guilt of the defendant, without an arraignment.

    “Consequent upon the above, the learned Chairman (Hon. Danladi Umar), who purportedly moved, made and signed the order, has put himself in the position of prosecutor, judge and jury to the clear prejudice and bias against the defendant.

    “The learned Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (Hon. Danladl Umar) is a tainted arbiter by reason of a criminal charge at the Instance of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for receiving money bribe in the sum of N10,000,000.00 in Charge No: CR/109/18 in FCT High Court by an organ under the supervision of the office of the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation, incidentally the prosecutor and complainant in this matter.

    “With such sword of Damocles hanging over him, and himself not just recusing himself from a quasi-judicial function, is himself not likely to be a fair arbiter, but instead more likely to trade in the charges against him in quasi plea bargaining in the charge against him and enter summary conviction in this proceedings to please the prosecutor.

    “Various comments and decisions/orders made by the Honourable Chairman of the tribunal clearly demonstrate beyond doubt that the Chairman of the tribunal had inclination or predisposition to decide the case in a certain pre-arranged manner without regard to any law or rules of procedure.

    “In the course of the proceedings of this case, the honourable Chairman of the tribunal showed acts of partisanship by making decisions/orders and expressing opinions antagonistic to the applicant and on the other hand demonstrated favourable dispositions towards the respondent.

    “The partiality of the honourable Chairman of the tribunal is not in doubt as there are manifest cases of real likelihood of bias on the part of the Chairman of the tribunal against the applicant by reason inter alia of the disclosures above.

    “The applicant has no confidence in the honourable Chairman of the tribunal to do justice fairly between parties in this case. as he is a man on a mission to please his masters.

    “In spite of the fact that the attention of the tribunal was drawn to four different orders of court, the Chairman, in ruling, abandoned two of the orders and kept on emphasizing on the orders from the Federal High Court and the F.C.T High Court alone supported by Member ll.

    “The tribunal has by the conduct, comments and pronouncements of the Chairman on the 14th of January, 1019 and supported by Member II on the 22nd January, 2019 has predetermined the motion of the defendant, challenging its jurisdiction before even same can be heard.

    “After the rulings of  the 22nd January, 2019, the counsel to the prosecution, again urged the honourable tribunal to make an interim order for the defendant to step aside as the Chief Justice of Nigeria and chairman of the National Judicial Council, but the Chairman of the tribunal in open court stated that the prosecutor should exercise patience, because his motion on notice for stepping aside would be heard at the next adjourned date, which caused all lawyers and members of the public present in court to exclaim in bewilderment before the honourable Chairman struggled unconvincingly to correct himself to the effect that what he meant was for the motion challenging jurisdiction be taken first and thereafter the motion for stepping aside.

    “The honourable Chairman later rightly informed the prosecution counsel, in open court, that he was not going to make any interim order for the defendant to step aside, because the issue of jurisdiction raised was fundamental and then adjourned the matter to the 18th January, 2019 for the hearing of motions.

    “Surprisingly, on the 23rd of January, 2019, a day after the proceedings of 22nd January, 2019, wherein matter was adjourned to the 28th January, 2019, the Chairman and Member 11 purportedly issued an order ex-parte, directing the defendant to step aside as the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the National Judicial Council and also directed the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to swear-in the most senior Justice of the Supreme Court as the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the National Judicial Council.

    READ ALSO: Updated: CCT Chair insists on Onnoghen’s appearance

    “The Chairman and Member II of this tribunal gave the prosecution/complainant/respondent, through the back door, what they seek by their notion on notice dated 10th January, 2019. Following the said order ex-parte, which was never served on the applicant or the National Judicial Council, the President purportedly suspended the Defendant/Applicant from office on the 25th of January, 2019 and appointed Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad as the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the National Judicial Council.

    “There is a clear case of bias against the Defendant/Applicant from the facts narrated above. The defendant/applicant has become totally apprehensive of the proceedings of the honourable tribunal and cannot continue in the proceedings because it has become palpable that he cannot get justice from the conduct and disposition of the Chairman and Member II.

    “The honourable tribunal, especially the Chairman, has constituted himself as the prosecutor and accuser of the defendant/applicant and cannot in good and clear conscience continue to be part of the proceedings and trial of the applicant.

    “It is most honourable for the honourable Chairman and Member II to recuse and disqualify themselves from the proceedings so that a person of firm and unbiased disposition can be appointed to preside over the proceedings of this matter.

    “The Chairman has constructively convicted the defendant (the Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria), sought to be arraigned before him, without either hearing from him or his being formally arraigned before him.”

  • Onnoghen: Senate discontinues Supreme Court case

    The Senate Monday ordered the discontinuation of the case it filed at the Supreme Court on the suspension of Justice Walter Nkanu Onnoghen.

    The upper chamber said that its decision to discontinue the case followed the intervention of the National Judicial Council (NJC) on the issue.

    A statement by the Special Adviser to the Senate President on media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, the Senate announced that it has decided to give the NJC intervention a chance.

    “The Senate has therefore decided to discontinue the case it filed in the Supreme Court. It should be noted that the case has been slated for hearing tomorrow. This decision also affirms the confidence of the Senate in the ability of the NJC to successfully and creditably resolve the issues,” the statement stated.

    Read Also: Onnoghen: 20 SANs protest ‘rot’ in Judiciary

    The Senate has gone to the Supreme Court to challenge the legality of the suspension of Justice Onnoghen.

    It specifically asked the apex court to consider whether the suspension of Onnoghen without recourse to the Senate does not amount to the usurpation of the powers of the upper chamber.

  • BREAKING: CCT Chair insists on Onnoghen’s appearance

    The Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar has directed the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen to appear before the tribunal in person before any further businesses could be conducted in the case pending against him.

    Umar gave the directive at the resumption of proceedings in the case on Monday, shortly before agreeing to the request by parties for adjournment to February 13.

    Read Also: BREAKING: CJN at CCT: proceedings suspended abruptly

    He said: “Under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), a defendant, who is served with a charge and represented by lawyers, must take his plea before raising any objection.

    “The defendant has continued to stay away from this tribunal. I am going to grant this adjournment at the instance of the prosecution and defence, but must state that the defendant must attend court at the next adjourned date so that all the issues would be resolved in his presence.”

    Details later.

  • BREAKING: CJN at CCT: proceedings suspended abruptly

    Awomolo, CCT Chair engages in hot exchanges

    Proceedings at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), in the case against the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen has been brought to an abrupt end to allow temper to seamer in view of the hot exchanges between tribunal Chairman, Danladi Umar and lead counsel for the defence, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN).

    Trouble started when the tribunal Charman insisted that proceedings must continue despite agreement, by lawyer to the prosecution, Aluyu Umar (SAN) and Awomolo, that the case be adjourned to a later date in view of some recent developments in the case.

    Rather than rule on the joint position presented by lawyers to the parties, the tribunal Chairman insisted on proceeding to hearing pending applications.

    While Awomolo stood up to appeal to tribunal Chairman to consider the position presented by lawyers to the prosecution and defence, for an adjournment, Umar ordered Awomolo to sit down.

    Read Also: CCT serves Onnoghen trial notice

    He accused the defence lawyer of encouraging delay and waste of time, observation Awomolo objected to and told the tribunal Chairman that it was wrong today such things about him.

    While Awomolo spoke, complaining about the way the tribunal Chairman described him, Umar said he was not bothered, but was only interested in continuing with the case.

    At that point, the prosecution lawyer sought for a short stand down, which was granted.

  • Onnoghen: 20 SANs protest ‘rot’ in Judiciary

    •Vow to tackle corrupt colleagues

    Twenty (20) Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) who are not on the same page with their colleagues rooting for the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, yesterday deplored what they termed the rot in the judiciary.

    They accused some SANs of procuring judgments and court orders by corrupt means.

    Messers Ebun Sofunde, Kayode Sofola, Kola Awodein, Ademola Akinrele, Osaro Eghobamien,  Babatunde Fagbohunlu, and  Wemimo Ogunde said it was regrettable that petitions filed by litigants and members of the public linger for years on end without resolution.

    Joined by Dr. Eyimofe Atake, Mrs. Olufunke Adekoya, Mr. Oluwafemi Atoyebi,

    Mr. Yemi Candido-Johnson, Mr. Olasupo Shasore,  Dr. Babatunde Ajibade, Jibrin Okutepa, Mr. Olumide Sofowora, Prof. Ernest Ojukwu, Mr. Olatunde Adejuyigbe, Dr. Adewale Olawoyin, Mr. Adeniyi Adegbonmire,  and Mr. Oyesoji Oyeleke, the SANs said the crisis of confidence now  shaking the judiciary and the legal profession in Nigeria is unprecedented.

    Their words: “We feel obliged to make this intervention for two primary reasons:

    (i) A recognition that the events which have resulted in this debacle is in fact a manifestation of and response to a deeper malaise in the administration of justice and justice delivery in Nigeria; and

    (ii) A concern that the crisis of confidence that is currently shaking the judiciary and the legal profession in Nigeria is unprecedented.

    “In making this intervention, we do not propose to delve into the merits or demerits of the respective positions that have been taken by the different actors regarding the suspension of Justice Onnoghen.

    “Our focus in making this intervention given the context of the unfolding events is to examine the underlying factors that have engendered or perpetuated the undoubted loss of confidence in the judiciary and the legal profession and to proffer suggestions for a much needed reform.

    Continuing, they said: “Certain facts are hardly contestable:

    *There is a widespread perception that there is corruption in the judiciary and this perception is supported by anecdotal evidence.

    *Unscrupulous litigants and some complicit lawyers, including some Senior Advocates, procure judgments and orders by corrupt means.

    *It is also beyond dispute that the system for self-regulation in the judiciary and the legal profession has failed.

    *Lack of transparency and a deep appreciation of the basic ethos of governance in the processes and procedures of the relevant institutions lay at the very heart of the challenges the Bench and the Bar are currently facing.

    *There is a perception that the National Judicial Council (NJC) has been ineffective in exercising discipline where high-ranking judicial officers are involved and that its proceedings and internal processes are unduly opaque.”

    Citing examples of alleged contradictions in the nation’s Judiciary and the helplessness of the Nigerian Bar Association, the SANs said: “Similarly, the Nigerian Bar Association is notorious for its inefficacy in respect of disciplinary issues.

    “Petitions filed by litigants and members of the public linger for years on end without resolution. The Nigerian legal profession and justice system have known better days.

    “We recall the golden era of our judiciary, when judgments of Nigerian courts were cited with approval in foreign courts. Sadly, this is no longer the case.

    “In our view, the incessant examples of contradictory decisions that have afflicted Nigerian jurisprudence in all facets of law further fuel the perception of incompetence and corruption by the Nigerian judiciary and the legal profession.”

    Calling for urgent reforms in the judiciary, the senior lawyers said: “It must be obvious to everyone that the time has come for urgent self- introspection and evaluation with the ultimate aim of a robust systemic reform of the Nigerian judiciary and the legal profession.

    “Therefore, this group has been established to collaborate with stakeholders in an effort aimed at achieving broad consensus on, and implementing a process that will lead to the review and reform of the following critical aspects of our justice delivery system:

    * The composition, constitution, functions and internal controls of the National Judicial Council.

    * The process for the appointment, continuing education and promotion of judicial officers.

    * The process for the discipline and regulation of judicial officers.

    * The terms and conditions of service of judicial officers.

    * Judicial ethics, values and the relationship of the Bench with the Bar.

    * The process for the appointment of lawyers to the Body of Benchers.

    * The composition, constitution and internal controls of the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee.

    * The process and criteria for the conferment of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

    * The roles and responsibilities of Senior Advocates of Nigeria as leaders of the Bar.

    * The regulation and discipline of Legal Practitioners.

    * Ethics, values and standards of legal practice.

    * The composition, constitution and internal controls of the National Executive Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association.

    They said: “The need for action is urgent. We will commence our work immediately, and we will operate on the basis of transparency, objectivity and inclusiveness.

    “We will soon publish details of how we propose to engage and collaborate with all stakeholders, especially the Nigerian Bar Association.

    “Let us act now to save our profession and our nation.”

  • Onnoghen: Even Dangote can’t forget $1m in his account — el-Rufai

    Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State on Friday advised suspended Justice Walter Onnoghen to resign as the substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).

    He gave the advice when members of Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in the state took their protest to the Government House in Kaduna.

    El-Rufai, who received the protesters’ solidarity letter to President Muhammadu Buhari on the suspension of the CJN, said with just over 20 years in public service, Justice Onnoghen possibly has more money than Aliko Dangote, the richest African.

    According to him, the suspension of Onnoghen was in order, saying that even Dangote cannot forget one million dollars in his bank account.

    “The case of Justice Onnoghen is the case in which somebody who has worked in government for past 20 years suddenly has millions of dollars in his account.

    “He has admitted, but says he has forgotten about them.

    “I want to express happiness to all of you for coming together to convey this very clear statement from the people of Kaduna State that in Kaduna we do not support corruption, in Kaduna we do not support injustice, in Kaduna State we are 100 per cent behind the integrity of our president.

    “I can assure you that the message you have given to me will be delivered to the president today.

    “The case with Justice Onnoghen is a very sad one. Othman Dan Fodio, the founder of the Sokoto Caliphate, wrote that the worst form of corruption you can find in any public service is judicial corruption.

    “This is because when the president is corrupt or the governor is corrupt, it is to the judge that ordinary people can take their case to. When the judge himself is corrupt, it is the highest form of corruption and must never be condoned.

    “The president did the right thing by asking him to step aside pending investigation. It is the proper thing to do. It is what is done in every organised and civilised society.

    “Unfortunately, some people in Nigeria are trying to make white black and black white. They are using technicalities to delay bringing this man to Justice.

    “Mr President did not remove Onnoghen from office. He said in honour of the Judiciary, he should step aside so that the charges against him can be investigated and prosecuted,” the governor said.

    Leaders of the Civil Society organisations, Messrs Zubairu Muktar and Abubakar Abubakar, said all well-meaning and focused Nigerians interested in the progress of the country must continue to support the anti-corruption war of this administration.

    They commended Buhari for taking the decisive step to restore the lost glory of the judiciary by rejuvenating our nascent democracy.

    “It is indeed a step very timely and commendable,’’ Muktar said.

    “As a coalition of more than 150 CSOs, we wish to convey to our President that we will continue to stand firm, straight and tall with him as he continues to purge out corruption embedded in the Nigerian system which has become a hindrance to the economic, political and social development of our dear nation,’’ he added.

  • Onnoghen and the two publics (1)

    What exactly is the most critical factor in the thoroughly sordid and embarrassing ongoing saga of the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen’s alleged criminal breach of the Code of Conduct for public officers? It is simply that stupendous amounts of funds in diverse foreign currencies were discovered in at least five accounts, which the chief priest at the sacred temple of Nigeria’s apex of justice administration claims he forgot to declare. That is the crux of the matter. Every other thing pales into insignificance.

    Some claim, for instance, that the CJN is only a victim of the Machiavellian political machinations and manipulations of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration. Distrustful of the political inclinations of Onnoghen and the critical role his office is likely to play should the outcome of the February 16th presidential election become a subject of litigation, it is claimed, the PMB administration is desperate to oust the embattled jurist from office and emplace a CJN more favourably disposed  to it. Thus, the enthusiasm with which the President embraced the Code of Conduct Tribunal’s purported order to suspend Onnoghen and swear in the next most senior judge of the apex court, Justice Tanko Mohammed, as acting CJN.

    This is certainly not an implausible argument. But, the crucial question: Did the suspended CJN admit to forgetfully breaching the code of conduct? Or did agents of the Buhari administration surreptitiously plant those humongous amounts in his accounts? If not, the problem here is certainly not the suspect political motives of the Buhari presidency. For, such alleged political shenanigans would have certainly been an exercise in futility if a criminal act of amnesiac omission had not been committed for Onnoghen’s adversaries to latch on.

    Similarly, the issue of the suspicious timing of the suspended CJN’s prosecution weeks to the February 16th presidential election would not have arisen had there been no offence to prosecute. If the laws had indeed been breached, as Onnoghen has allegedly admitted in writing, then the timing of prosecution is entirely at the discretion of whatever agency responsible for pursuing the cause of justice in court.

    Others have questioned the amazing speed with which the federal agencies have pursued the Onnoghen matter, which is most uncharacteristic for an administration widely criticized for its most often dysfunctional inertia. I don’t see the problem here.

    An administration reputed for its irritatingly slow pace of making and implementing decisions suddenly wakes up to exhibit an unusual burst of energy in a case in which it is obviously keenly interested. This shows that its problem all along has not been capacity but the lack of the requisite will for decisive action. Its supersonic speed approach to the Onnoghen case can always be cited in future to nudge the PMB administration to action whenever it lapses into its somnolent default mode.

    The near absolute focus on technical intricacies and legal procedural complexities to the neglect of the substantive issue – the humongous foreign currency laden accounts allegedly owned by Onnoghen – vividly illustrates the contradiction between the abstract moral values that underlie the legal system over which Onnoghen presides as head of the apex court and under which he is being tried and the moral values that underpin and influence actual behavior in civil society.

    It is, of course, impossible to unravel whether Onnoghen’s alleged immense affluence is the result of a family inheritance or some other legitimate but lucrative activity he had engaged in over the years in the course of his judicial career without the jurist undergoing trial. But his lawyers’ resort to exploiting legal technicalities to impede or delay their client’s trial all in the name of due process as well as Onnoghen’s inexplicable postponement sine die of the National Judicial Council (NJC) meeting scheduled for January 15 to deliberate on the issue unfortunately does not suggest an eagerness to come clean in court as regards the sources of his fortune.

    In discussing the Onnoghen issue, the political scientist, Professor Peter Ekeh’s theory of the two publics was a subject of intense debate at this week’s meeting of this newspaper’s editorial board. In seeking to explain the prevalence of phenomena like corruption, ethnicity and nepotism in Nigeria and other African countries, Ekeh had attributed this to the bifurcation of the public sphere in Africa into two largely as a result of the colonial incursion. The first he called the civic public, which comprises those ‘migrated social structures’ imported from the colonizing west  such as the civil service, public corporations, judicial institutions, universities, police and other security agencies among others.

    On the other hand, Ekeh also identifies the co-existence with the civic public of what he calls the primordial public; these are ethnic, communal, cultural and regional social structures, whose roots can be traced far into the pre-colonial African past. The attitude and disposition of the individual and social groups to these two publics is sharply divergent. As Professor Eghosa Osaghae explicates Ekeh’s thesis, “While the former public operated in an essentially amoral milieu, the latter retained an abiding morality which emphasized the obligations of the individual to his extended family and community. Problems of corruption, ethnicity and their like are then attributed to the fact that the same individuals operate in the two publics working at cross purposes”.

    Thus, Onnoghen operates not just as a judicial officer in the realm of the civic public; he is also a member of an ethnic group, a cultural association or an ethno-regional grouping in the primordial public sphere. As a judicial officer, he is expected to abide by the moral values that underlie the legal codes he enforces in the temple of justice. His ethno-regional constituency also expects him to utilize the influence and resources of his office to benefit his primary community as a true ‘son of the soil’ even if this would imply violating the oath of his office through unethical conduct.

    In this regard, Professor Osaghae, quoting Professor Billy Dudley writes: “…insecurity is guarded against not just by safeguarding the present but also by insuring against the future which, in practice, means the use of one’s office to enrich one’s self…in so far as a successful individual is seen to contribute to the welfare of his community, he is not seen as corrupt”.

    That cuts to the core of the moral dilemma of the post-colonial state in Nigeria and Africa. The state accuses Onnoghen of criminal infractions against the law. But the suspended CJN to most of his South-south compatriots has committed no crime. Indeed, the South-south governors openly urged him not to obey the CCT’s summons. This largely informs the preoccupation even in the most informed circles with legal technicalities and judicial processes and the consequent relegation of the substantive crime committed.

    There are those who argue that Ekeh’s thesis is escapist and indeed seeks to rationalize, even justify, corruption. Morality, they contend, is indivisible and applies in any sphere of society. In other words, stealing is stealing anywhere and everywhere. Agreed. But then, why is it that Onnoghen will most likely be given a hero’s welcome were he to return to his home state today and even in other states of the South-south?

    Why is that most of those who have been indicted or even convicted for corruption across the country remain beloved and influential members of their communities, states and even regions? They are indicted in the eyes of the state and the law. They remain untainted as far as their ethno-regional compatriots are concerned.

    There is even a religious dimension to the two publics conundrum when the National Christian Elders Forum comprising very eminent Nigerians from the Middle Belt completely side stepped the serious infractions allegedly committed by Onnoghen, and chose to depict the jurist’s suspension as part of an ‘Islamic Agenda’ against Christianity in Nigeria! Is what the CJN is alleged to have done in conformity with Christian ethics and values? Until there is a reasonable degree of congruence as regards perception of corruption and the corrupt between the state and the vast majority of the citizenry, it will be impossible to wage any meaningful war against corruption.

  • Go, Onnoghen, go!

    When I wrote last week that the continued clinging to office by the now suspended Chief Justice of the federation, Justice Walter Onnoghen, was no longer tenable and that in his own interest and the love of his country he should resign and go back home, I knew I was on sure ground, to so assert.

    Reading the pieces written by a university lecturer, a DSS operative who wrote under a pseudo-name, a youth group from Niger Delta and an erudite and iconoclastic lawyer Jiti Ogunye, I am convinced even beyond unreasonable doubts, that the greatest enemy of the judiciary is the judiciary itself.

    Corruption, like poverty, knows no tribe and has no colour. But in the Walter Onnoghen case, we now know that the deadly cancer otherwise known as corruption has brothers, sisters, uncles, cousins, nephews and nieces; and also has colours of politics.

    The political coloration to this unedifying saga is evident in PDP’s threat to pull the roof of the nation down if Onnoghen was not reinstated. Why this desperation if indeed it is not true, as disclosed in one of the articles referred above, that the PDP, scared that it might not win the presidential and most of the other elections by the ballot, had schemed a Plan B, to thwart the majority wishes of Nigerians expressed at the polls, through the Judiciary, said to have been annexed as an arm of the PDP, which was programmed to commence work after the elections through the election petition tribunals, up to the Supreme Court where Onnoghen will sit in his “magisterial majesty” ?

    A group of Niger Delta youths posited in a statement in the social media that corruption is corruption, regardless of who is committing it. If all Nigerians agree with this position, including the sanitisation of a badly dented judiciary, the country will be well on the way to tackling corruption and dealing it a death blow.

    This brings me to recall what a deeply worried community leader said of lawyers many years ago. I quote him, verbatim: “The biggest problem this country has is caused by lawyers. A thing they defend as white in the morning by one lawyer, can be said to be black by another or even same lawyer in the evening. Why? Why is law not like mathematics where you are sure two plus two equals four any day?

    It is a riddle lawyers must resolve quickly for the sake of the nation. Until that is done, let’s all say in unison that, having admitted to omitting and forgetting to tell of all he had, as required by law, Justice Onnoghen has lost every moral, lawful reason to continue to be the Chief Justice of the federation.

    I had read it somewhere before, that for a judge to be respected and admired, he must be very versed in law, wise in the ways of the world, scrupulously fair and just and altogether incorruptible! I subscribe fully to those virtues.

     

    The hypocrisy of the West

    Let us be sure we are not on slippery ground before making this comment.

    A few days ago, some smart alec, predictably among the hired writers of the PDP, put out a statement said to have emanated from President Buhari’s wife, Aisha, lampooning the suspension of the Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Walter Onnoghen, and dismissing it as wrong and unjust.

    The unwary was about to absorb that as an indictment of a husband’s action by his wife, but something in me exclaimed: this desperate PDP will stop at nothing in their muck raking and mischievous attempts to hoodwink, deceive and lie their way to electoral victory. How right! Mama Aisha has since debunked the statement, saying that it did not emanate from her.

    Now, the media space is awash with the news that the USA and UK are saddened by Justice Onnoghen’s removal. Countries whose own values can’t allow judges with lesser infractions of the law to remain a day longer in their positions? I want to believe that no such statement came out of Whitehall in London or wherever in America; that it was another PDP concoction of lies to be fed the Nigerian public.

    But, assuming the statements truly came from source, there should be no other meaning to it than to suspect that the proceeds of corruption being intercepted by the Nigerian government is now affecting the budgets or economies of the two foreign nations. In that case, they should let our country be, to rid itself of all the cankerworms that have so far prevented it from becoming nutritiously healthy, economically-speaking, like the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

    I believe a festering sore requires a surgical solution. Corruption has eaten so deep into the fabric of our society that tackling it is not one to be treated with kid gloves. I know the United Kingdom experienced similar problems in that country before they got it right. Time was when in England, for example, kings were beheaded for committing infractions against the state, and that sent sufficient message to everyone there that there must be a minimum level of behaviour below which they must not fall; the reason why that country had moved away from what was a totally primitive way of redressing wrong to a universally sane, humane, reasonable and acceptable way of doing things, such that the killing of even a fox in that country is no longer tolerable, not to now talk of killing a human being.

    Why will a country that has zero tolerance for corruption and mindless sabotage of their economy encourage such in other lands? Is it to continue their colonisation and impoverishment of those other lands? If these foreign do-gooders mean well for our country, they will do well to assist us to free our nation from rent-takers and vampires in different garbs.

  • State of the Nation: Onnoghen suspension reinforces Buhari anti-corruption credentials – Eriye

    …Buhari won’t perform poorly in Southeast

    Political analyst and Sunday Editor of The Nation Newspapers, Festus Eriye, joined by Senior Correspondent Dare Odufowokan to discuss, Walter Onnoghen suspension, 2019 election, President Muhammadu Buhari and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar chances at the 2019 elections.

  • CCT to resume hearing Monday in case against Onnoghen

    THE Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) has fixed Monday for the resumption of proceedings in the case of alleged non-disclosure of assets pending against suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen.

    The CCT chose to resume proceedings in the case, following Wednesday’s ruling by the Court of Appeal, Abuja, rejecting Onnoghen application for stay of proceedings pending appeal.

    CCT’s spokesman Ibraheem Al-Hassan said, in a statement yesterday, that the tribunal has decided to resume proceedings in the case upon a request by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

    The statement reads: “Following Court of Appeal ruling yesterday (Wednesday) on the application by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Onnoghen Nkanu Walter, the Code of Conduct Tribunal hereby fixed for Monday, February 4, 2019.

    “The decision was reached today (Thursday) sequel to a correspondent from Code of Conduct Bureau, applying for the resumption of trial of the case captioned; Application for resumption of trial of the case of FRN V. Hon. Justice Onnoghen Nkanu Walter Samuel case No: CCT/ABJ/01/19, addressed to Hon. Chairman Code of Conduct Tribunal, dated January 30, 2019, jointly signed by Musa Ibrahim Usman (Esq) and Fatima Danjuma Ali (Esq).”

    The CCT on January 28 adjourned proceedings indefinitely in the case to await the ruling of the Court of Appeal.

    Tribunal Chairman Danladi Umar, while announcing the adjournment, said the tribunal wished to await the decision of the Court of Appeal, Abuja in a motion for stay of proceedings filed by the CJN and on which arguments were taken on January 24, this year.

    Umar said the adjournment was in obedience of the interim order of stay of proceedings made on January 24 by the Court of Appeal.