The Presidency has declared that the conviction of Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, on Thursday by the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, was a major victory for the war against corruption.
According to the Presidency, it was a proof that the law was no respecter of anyone irrespective of status.
Onnoghen who was tried for non-declaration of assets was on Thursday convicted.
Giving his ruling, the Chairman of the CCT removed Onnoghen from office as the CJN and Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).
Onnoghen was also banned from holding public office for the next 10 years while an order to forfeit all five accounts said not to have been declared by him between 2009 and 2015 was issued.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, gave the position of the Presidency in a statement issued.
He said with the conviction, it had become obvious that everyone would be held accountable no matter the position they held.
Said he: “The rule of law will lose its meaning and validity if only the weak, the poor and powerless are punished for their violations of the law.
“Countries succeed because the rule of law is evenly upheld and enforced. The war against corruption would go nowhere if the high and mighty are spared because of their influence and connections.
”You can’t fight corruption by allowing impunity because the rule of law cannot function where impunity is tolerated.”
