On Friday, President Muhammadu
Buhari suspended Walter Onnoghen, chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), citing a
ruling of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
The ruling was unknown to the
public. But documents seen by NigerianEye showed that the CCT issued it on Thursday
while acting on a motion ex parte application filed by the federal government.
The application dated January 9
was filed by one James Akpala, an investigator at the Code of Conduct Bureau
(CCB).
Before it was filed, the CCT had
adjourned till Monday, January 28, after ruling that it would proceed with
Onnoghen’s trial.
The documents obtained by
TheCable showed that in the ruling given on Thursday, a two-man panel of the
tribunal – including Danladi Umar, the chairman, and Julie Anabor – asked the
president to swear in Onnoghen’s second-in-command as his replacement.
The order was given a day before
the court of appeal in Abuja ordered the CCT to suspend the CJN’s trial.
The CCT ruling read: “Upon a
careful consideration of the Motion Exparte dated 9th January 2019 with
Affidavit of Urgency and Affidavit in Support of the Motion deposed to by one
James Akpala, an Investigator with the Code of Conduct Bureau for the
Complainant/Applicant praying for the following orders:
“i. AN INTERIM ORDER of the
Honourable Tribunal directing the Defendant/Respondent to step aside as the
Chief Justice of Nigeria and the Chairman of the National Judicial Council 0ver
allegations ofcontravening the provisions of the Code of Conduct Bureau and
Tribunal Act Cap C l15 Laws of the Federation 2004 pending the determination of
the Motion on Notice dated I0th day of January 2019.
“ii. AN INTERIM ORDER of the
Honourable Tnbunal directing the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
to take all necessary measures to swear-in the most senior Justice of the
Supreme Court of Nigeria as Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman,
National Judicial Council in order to prevent a vacuum in the Judicial Arm of
Government pending the determination of the Motion on Notice.
The tribunal also adjourned the
matter till Monday “for hearing”.
Onnoghen has since been replaced
by Tanko Mohammed from Bauchi state.
Below are the documents:
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