The Senate headed to the Supreme Court on Monday, bringing a new dimension to the controversy over the suspension of Justice Walter Onnoghen by President Muhammadu Buhari as the Chief Justice of Nigeria.
The suit filed by the Senate is to seek the interpretation of the action of the president.
The suit is to determine whether or not the suspension of Onnoghen by the president is in accordance with the provision of the constitution.
Specifically, the Senate has sought to know from the court whether the action of the president does amount to usurpation of the powers of the Senate as provided for in Section 292 of the constitution.
According to the Special Adviser to the Senate President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Yusuph Olaniyonu, who made the action of the Senate known, following the filing of the case, the matter of the suspension of the CJN which is the main issue for which the Senate had planned to reconvene on Tuesday had become unnecessary.
He said, therefore, in line with the standing rules of the Senate not to debate issues that were already pending before the court, the reconvening of the Senate on Tuesday had been put off.
The previous adjournment of the Senate till February 19, 2019, he said, remained.
President Buhari suspended Onnoghen on Friday causing a big controversy over the propriety or otherwise of the action.
Justice Adamu Mohammed who is next in line in hierarchy has since been appointed as Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria.
