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NJC gives Onnoghen, Mohammed seven days to respond to petitions

Ismaila Sanni
Ismaila Sanni
Onnoghen: CCT delivers judgement Thursday
Onnoghen

The National Judicial Council, NJC, has issued a seven days ultimatum to the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, to respond to the petition filed against him.

The NJC issued the ultimatum on Tuesday at its emergency meeting.

Onnoghen has been accused of non-declaration of assets.

Similarly, NJC issued a seven days ultimatum for Tanko Mohammed to respond to a petition against him.

He is accused of violating the NJC rules by taking up the position of the CJN without the approval of the council.

In the statement signed by the Director of Information, NJC, Soji Oye, the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, Danladi Umar, was referred to the Federal Judicial Service Commission, FJSC.

A petition was also written against him.

FJSC, it is expected, will refer his case back to NJC for action if there is any substance in the allegation against him.

The statement reads:

The National Judicial Council held an Emergency Meeting today and considered four (4) petitions filed at its Secretariat. The petitions are: Petition against Hon. Mr. Justice W.S.N. Onnoghen, GCON by Zikhrillahi Ibrahim of Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civil Education; Petition against Hon. Mr. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, CFR by Centre for Justice and Peace Initiative; Petition against Hon. Mr. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, CFR by Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, OON; and Petition against Hon. Danladi Yakubu Umar, Chairman, Code of Conduct Tribunal by Centre for Justice and Peace Initiative.

Council referred the petition against Hon. Danladi Yakubu Umar to the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) which is the appropriate constitutional body empowered to deal with it.

In line with its procedure, Council also forwarded the petitions against Hon. Justices W.S.N. Onnoghen, GCON and I. T. Muhammad, CFR to them for their responses.

In view of the gravity of the matters involved, Council abridged the usual response period from fourteen (14) to seven (7) working days for the Hon. Justices to respond.

Hon. Mr. Justice W. S. N. Onnoghen, GCON and Hon. Mr. Justice I.T. Muhammad, CFR recused themselves from the meeting. Consequently, Council elected Hon. Mr. Justice Umaru Abdullahi, CON, former President of the Court of Appeal as Interim Chairman to preside over the meeting.

Council will reconvene on the 11th February, 2019.

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