Onnoghen: Supreme Court strikes out Saraki’s case against Buhari

Bukola Saraki

Onnoghen: Supreme Court strikes out Saraki’s case against Buhari

The Supreme Court has struck out the suit filed by the leadership of the Senate, challenging President Muhammadu Buhari’s powers to suspend the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen.

The suit was dismissed by a seven-man panel of Justices of the apex court, led by Justice Rhodes Bode-Vivour.

Baba Newsline reported yesterday that the Senate President, Bukola Saraki withdrew the matter from the court following the National Judicial Council’s intervention.

The Senate had in the suit marked SC.76/2019, invoked the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, demanding that the court determine whether Buhari has the constitutional powers to unilaterally suspend the CJN.

When the suit came up on Tuesday, counsel to the Senate, Paul Erokoro, SAN, applied to withdraw it.

The lawyer told the apex court panel that his client had earlier filed a notice of discontinuance, though he did not adduce any reasons behind the decision.

Federal Government lawyer, Mrs. Maimuna Lami Shiro, said President Buhari and the AGF were not opposed to the request to abort hearing on the suit.

Consequently, Justice Bode-Vivour struck out out Saraki’s case against Buhari.