Senate makes A u-turn About Onnoghen’s Suspension

Bukola Saraki

Senate makes A u-turn About Onnoghen’s Suspension

The Nigerian Senate has discontinued a case it filed at the Supreme Court challenging the suspension of Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen.

Yusuph Olaniyonu, the media aide to the Senate president, Bukola Saraki, in a statement on Monday, February 4, said the decision follows the intervention of the NJC on the issue, Premium Times reports.

“The Senate has therefore decided to discontinue the case it filed in the Supreme Court. It should be noted that the case has been slated for hearing tomorrow," the statement read.

READ ALSO: Onnoghen’s cocktail of excuses

"This decision also affirms the confidence of the Senate in the ability of the NJC to successfully and creditably resolve the issues" In another news report, the chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Justice Danladi Umar, has given directives that the embattled chief justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, must appear before him in person before he can proceed with the trial.

Umar gave the directive on Monday, February 4, when he was reacting to the absence of the embattled CJN at the CCT, The Nation reports.

READ ALSO: Why appeal court ruled against Onnoghen

Legit.ng gathers that the counsel to Justice Onnoghen led by Adegboyega Awolowo (SAN) had reportedly traded words with Umar over the failure of the suspended CJN to appear at his ongoing trial at the CCT.

Meanwhile, human rights lawyer and senior advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has written a letter to the attorney general of the federation, Abubakar Malami, advising him to discontinue the charges against the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria Walter Onnoghen at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

Falana said after the charges at the CCT have been discontinued, the AGF should advise President Muhammadu Buhari to reverse the suspension placed on Onnoghen as no public office holder can be removed from office on the basis of an ex parte order granted by any court or tribunal in Nigeria.

He said after the reversal of the suspension, Onnoghen should then be prevailed to resign from the office of the chief justice as he has lost the moral rights to remain there, Vanguard reports.