The fate of the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN),
Justice Walter Onnoghen, and that of the acting CJN, Justice Tanko Muhammad, is
about to be decided as the National Judicial Council (NJC) on Wednesday met in
Abuja to decide on the report of the five-man committee set up to investigate
petitions against them.
A statement by the Director of Information, NJC, Soji Oye,
said the body reconvened Wednesday to consider the Report of the Five-Man
Committee constituted to investigate the allegations leveled against the two
most senior judicial Officers.
According to the statement, while the council refrained from
taking any decision on the issue of asset declaration charges on the grounds
that the issue is currently in court, the NJC however reached a decision on the
petition of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and others.
Oye however disclosed that the NJC has conveyed its decision
to President Muhammadu Buhari.
"NJC decides on the Report of the Five-Man Committee
set up to investigate petitions against Justice Onnoghen and Justice Muhammad.
"The National Judicial Council reconvened today in an
Emergency Meeting to consider the Report of the Five-Man Committee constituted
to investigate the allegations of misconduct made against Justices Onnoghen and
Muhammad.
“Council decided that the allegations relating to assets
declaration that were levelled against Justice were subjudice and therefore
abstained from considering them.
"Council reached a decision on the petitions written by
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and others and conveyed its
decision to President Muhammadu Buhari.
"Council also resolved that, by the nature of the
decision reached, it would be inappropriate to publicise it before conveying it
to Mr. President," he stated.
Recall that the NJC had in January given both Onnoghen and
Muhammad seven days to respond to various petitions written against them.
The directive was part of decision the body made at it's
emergency meeting in Abuja held on January 29,2019 to look into the issue of
the suspension of Onnoghen.
President Muhammadu Buhari had on January 25, 2019, based on
an alleged exparte order by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) suspended
Onnoghen as CJN and Chairman of the NJC.
Buhari, subsequently swore in Justice Tanko Muhammad as
Acting CJN to pilot the affairs of the Supreme Court in the interim.
The action which attracted global concern as well as protest
by various groups in the country, resulted in various petitions seeking the
intervention of the NJC in the matter.
While both Onnoghen and Muhammad were not in attendance as
they recused themselves from the meeting, a former President of the Court of
Appeal, Justice Umaru Abdullahi was elected to preside as Interim Chairman.
It was disclosed that the council at the January 29 meeting
considered 4 petitions in all; one against Onnoghen, two against Muhammad and
the other against the CCT Chairman, Danladi Umar.
The petition against Onnoghen, was by one Zikhrillahi
Ibrahim of Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civil Education; while the
two against Muhammad, were by Centre for Justice and Peace Initiative and Olisa
Agbakoba, and that against Danladi Yakubu Umar, Chairman, Code of Conduct
Tribunal was by Centre for Justice and Peace Initiative.
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