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Tag: CJN

  • Suspended CJN Onnoghen speaks on alleged resignation

    Embattled Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen on Monday denied reports making the rounds that he has officially resigned.

    Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari last Friday suspended the CJN replacing him with Justice Tanko Mohammed, as Acting CJN.

    The denial was contained in a statement signed and released by the CJN’s media aide, Awassam Bassey on Monday.

    Bassey described the CJN’s rumoured resignation as “fake news circulated by mischief makers.”

    “Mischief makers are still circulating this fake news. Once again, no truth in it whatsoever. The Hon CJN, Hon Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen, GCON, has not resigned,” Bassey said.

    The rumour came less than 24 hours to the emergency meeting summoned by the National Judicial Council to deliberate on Onnoghen’s suspension and Muhammad’s emergence as the Acting CJN.

     

  • Aisha Buhari denies condemning CJN’s suspension

    Wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, Aisha has denied condemning the recent suspension of former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen.

    Mrs Buhari in a statement through her Director, Information, Mr Suleiman Haruna, on Sunday in Abuja, described the news making rounds that she condemned Onnoghen’s removal as fake.

    “The attention of wife of the President has been drawn to a post on social media to the effect that she condemned the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria.

    “It is important to inform Nigerians that wife of the President has not made any public statements on the matter and therefore the commentary is untrue and fake.

    “This is highly condemnable and we therefore advise the purveyors of such news to recant and desist henceforth,” the statement read.

    Recall that the former CJN was suspended by the Federal Government following a recommendation of the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

    The suspension order was executed to enable the tribunal to hear and determine the allegations of false asset declarations filed against Onnoghen by the Code of Conduct Bureau.

     

  • Meet Buhari’s new CJN, Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammed

    Meet Buhari’s new CJN, Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammed

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday evening suspended the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen who was recently arraigned before the Code of Conduct Tribunal on allegations bothering on false asset declaration.

    The president immediately swore in acting CJN in the person of Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed from Bauchi State.

    Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammed, CON, was born at Doguwa, in Giade Local Government Area of Bauchi State, on December 31, 1953.

    He attended Government Secondary School, Azare, where he obtained the West Africa School Certificate in 1973. He later proceeded to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he received a bachelor’s degree in Law in 1980. He was called to the bar in 1981.

    He also holds Masters and Doctoral degrees from the same university in 1984 and 1998 respectively. He was appointed as Chief Magistrate of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in 1989.

    Two years later, he became a Judge at the Bauchi State Sharia Court of Appeal before he was elevated to the Court of Appeal in 1993. After 13 years at the Court of Appeal, he was appointed as a Justice of the Supreme Court in 2006 but was sworn in on January 7, 2007.

     

  • Buhari has no powers to suspend CJN Onnoghen – Southern, Middle Belt Leaders

    The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders (SMBL) on Friday evening condemned the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The leaders in a joint statement sent to TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) said the president has no such powers.

    Recall that President Buhari on Friday evening sunspended the embattled CJN who was recently arraigned before the Code of Conduct Tribunal on allegations bothering on false asset declaration.

    The president immediately swore in acting CJN in the person of Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed from Bauchi State.

    Read full statement below:

    Constitutional Crisis As Buhari Illegally Suspends CJN

    The attention of Southern and Middle Belt Leaders has been drawn to a coup against Constitutional Democracy in Nigeria by President Muhammadu Buhari by the Suspension of CJN Walter Onoghen this evening and swearing in a replacement.


    This is a constitutional crisis foisted by desperation and morbid desire to foist rule of thumb.


    We have checked through the constitution and the President has no power to unilaterally suspend the CJN.


    Section 292 of the amended 1999 Constitution is clear that the President can only remove the CJN with 2/3 of Senate resolution.


    To us what has been done is resort to self-help after the Court of Appeal issued an order stopping the trial of the CJN by the CCT presided over by a man answering charges in court over corruption allegations but still in office.


    The latest action is a clear suspension of the constitution and enthronement of full blown dictatorship .


    We reject the illegal suspension and demand its immediate reversal.


    The suspension is null and void and of no effect whatever .


    An emergency meeting of the Forum holds shortly on this total aberration.


    We call on all Nigerians to wake up to the reality that our democracy is now under threat and use all constitutional means to defend it.


    We must not surrender to this authoritarian rule .

    Chief E K Clark
    South South

    Chief Ayo Adebanjo
    South West

    Chief John Nwodo
    South East

    Dr Pogu Bitrus
    Midddle Belt

  • BREAKING: Buhari suspends CJN Onnoghen, swears in Acting CJN

    BREAKING: Buhari suspends CJN Onnoghen, swears in Acting CJN

    The Federal Government on Friday suspended the embattled Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen following the order of Code of Conduct Tribunal of January 23rd.

    According to the Federal Government, the suspension stands till the conclusion of his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

    To replace him, President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday swore in acting CJN in the person of Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed from Bauchi State.

    He was conveyed to the Presidential Villa at about 4:30pm in a black Mercedes Benz C240 with number plate GWA: 900FA.

    Details later...

  • FG tells Tribunal to order CJN Onnoghen to step aside before trial

    The federal government on Sunday demanded the removal from office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, in the false asset charges it filed at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

    According to the second request, made through the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, the government wants the embattled CJN to step aside for his immediate junior in the bench, Ibrahim Mohammed, who hails from Bauchi State.

    Confirming the report earlier published by the Punch Newspaper, the tribunal said the request for Onnoghen to vacate his office was made the same day the false asset charge was brought against him.

    “I was just told now by the people at the registry that the motion was filed along with the charge,” said Ibrahim Alhassan, the head of media and publicity at the CCT.

    According to the request, the AGF asked Onnoghen to allow another judge head the NJC, “so that he (Onnoghen) would not be a judge in his own case.”

    It is unclear whether the federal government also petitioned the National Judicial Council about the allegations concerning the CJN.

    Various lawyers have said the current provision of Nigerian laws only empowers the council to undertake any kind of disciplinary action against serving judicial officers.

    While the media assistant to the AGF, Salihu Isah, refused to respond to calls and enquiries regarding the matter, the CJN’s spokesperson, Awassam Bassey, said in a text message on Sunday that he had no comments on the issue.

    However, copies of the motion published by the Punch Newspaper indicate that the government is asking the tribunal to order the vacation of Onnoghen from office and direct President Muhammadu Buhari to take immediate steps to swear in a new acting Chief Justice.

    “An order of the honourable tribunal directing the defendant/respondent to step aside as the Chief Justice of Nigeria and chairman of the National Judicial Council over an allegation of contravening the provision of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act CAP C15 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 pending the determination of the case.

    “An interlocutory order of the honourable tribunal 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 as an acting Chief Justice and chairman of the National Judicial Council in order to prevent a vacuum in the judicial arm of government pending the determination of the case,” the paper quoted the AGF as saying in the motion.

    Onnoghen was taken before the CCT by the anti-graft federal agency, the Code of Conduct Bureau, on January 11.

    The bureau accused Onnoghen of failing to declare his accounts used for the transfer of foreign currencies and delaying the renewal of his declaration form after same expired in 2009.

    It also accused him of only making a complete declaration in one, out of two forms filled in December 2016 and submitted with the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

    According to the charge, the failure of the CJN to include his domiciliary accounts in form 000014, while the details were only contained in form 000015, meant that the CJN attempted to conceal information and was liable, for false asset charges.

    The charges were brought pursuant to a petition against the CJN dated January 7 by a former National Publicity Secretary of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change and a current member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Denis Aghanya.

    Reacting to criticisms that the federal government propelled the trial of Onnoghen, the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, said the president had nothing to do with it.

    Respondingto the charges against him, Onnoghen had said he failed to renew his forms in 2009, after the expiration of his 2005 declaration form because he “forgot” to do so.
    The CJN also said he had omitted the accounts in form 00014 because he believed that the said accounts were no longer functioning.

    Some lawyers described the comments by the CJN as a confirmation of his guilt. Others, however, said section 3 (d) of the CCB Act renders the charge invalid after Mr Onnoghen’s explanation.

    The section states thus: “Provided that where the person concerned makes a written admission of such breach or non-compliance, no reference to the Tribunal shall be necessary.”

    The tribunal adjourned Mr Onnoghen’s trial till January 22.

    Some courts have, however, issued restraining orders stopping the CCT from proceeding with the trial until the determination of related cases.

    Onnoghen was sworn in as CJN in March 2017, five months after he was nominated to replace the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mahmoud Mohammed.

     

  • My life under threat for petitioning CJN, Ex-Buhari aide, Aghanya cries out

    My life under threat for petitioning CJN, Ex-Buhari aide, Aghanya cries out

    …says people are offering him bribe to disown petition

    The Executive Secretary, Anti-Corruption and Research- Based Data Initiative, Dennis Aghanya, has raised the alarm over threats to his life following his petition against Onnoghen for failing to declare five bank accounts with about $3m.

    Aghanya who is former media aide to President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday said a number of people have asked him to disown the petition against the CJN for a huge amount of money.

    He said those behind the threats were “the people who are telling Nigerians that the petition does not have merit.”

    He declined to identify the people making the threats.

    Aghanya said, “Since this petition came to light, they have been sending friends and families to me and at the same time issuing threats. They are giving me two options: If I don’t accept, I would go down six feet. If I mention the amount they are offering, it is something a hungry man would accept, something they cannot resist, big money, as much as a billion naira.”

    According to the activist, those faulting his action should instead encourage the CJN to defend himself at the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

    He stated that the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, did the right thing by ensuring the prosecution of Onnoghen for concealing five domiciliary accounts in Standard Chartered Bank.

    He dismissed arguments that the petition did not follow due process, noting that Nigerians should be concerned with the facts and evidences presented on the case “instead of leaving substance to chase shadow.”

    Aghanya again denied that the petition against Onnoghen was politically-motivated, noting that many other investigations were also being carried out by ARDI against other government officials whom he declined to identify.

    When asked if he feared for his life, Aghanya said, “I’m human, but then, it is God that gives life. Because I am a good Christian, I don’t feel bothered. If I were to be killed, do you know the kind of enemies I have had to contend with since I was born? The enemies would come, they would rise, do all sorts of things, but if God is with you, all those things would be in vain.”

     

  • FG approaches court to sack Onnoghen as CJN, NJC chairman

    FG approaches court to sack Onnoghen as CJN, NJC chairman

    The Federal Government has filed a motion before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, asking for the removal of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen as the CJN and the chairman of the National Judicial Council (NJC).

    According to court papers obtained, the motion was filed by Musa Ibrahim and Fatima Danjuma Ali on behalf of the Attorney-General of the Federation on Thursday.

    The move, according to the government, is aimed at ensuring that Onnoghen is not a judge in his case and that the next in line of seniority, Justice Ibrahim Muhammad, becomes the acting CJN pending the determination of the substantive suit.

    The plaintiff asked the court to compel President Muhammadu Buhari to name the next most senior judge as the acting CJN and chairman of the NJC.

    The motion on notice was brought in pursuance of Section 6(6) Paragraph 11 (1) of the Fifth Schedule, Part 1 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).

    The Federal Government prayed the tribunal for an interlocutory order “directing the defendant/respondent to step aside as the Chief Justice of Nigeria and chairman of the National Judicial Council over an allegation of contravening the provision of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act CAP C15 Laws of the federation of Nigeria 2004 pending the determination of the case.

    “An interlocutory order of the honourable tribunal 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 as an acting Chief Justice and chairman of the National Judicial Council in order to prevent a vacuum in the judicial arm of government pending the determination of the case.”

    The fresh move against Onnoghen came after the National Industrial Court, Abuja, had on Monday restrained the Chairman of the CCT, Danladi Umar, the AGF, the Code of Conduct Bureau and the police from removing Onnoghen.

    This was pursuant to a motion ex-parte filed by a lawyer, Mr Peter Abang.

    Meanwhile, the opposition political parties on Friday claimed they had uncovered a plan by the Federal Government to arrest Onnoghen on Tuesday.

    The first national spokesperson of the Coalition of United Political Parties, Imo Ugochinyere, made the claim at a press conference in Abuja on Friday.

    Ugochinyere said the arrest would be carried out shortly after a bench warrant would have been issued by the CCT against Onnoghen.

    He added that arrangements had been concluded to immediately name Justice Justice Ibrahim Muhammad as acting CJN.

    He said Nigeria’s democracy was currently in danger.

    “Members of the cabal in the Presidency have just concluded a meeting last night (Thursday) where they have now set the stage to burn down the institution of democracy and constitutional governance for the purpose of achieving a narrow aim of annexing the judiciary.

    “Just a few hours after our release of the secret letter directing the freezing of the account of the CJN illegally without a court order, these men have at the end of their meeting last (Thursday) night directed the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Mr Danladi Umar, to disregard the order of the Federal High Court, Abuja which had directed the tribunal to maintain status quo.

    “They have asked him to go ahead to issue a bench warrant on the next adjourned date being Tuesday, January 22 in the event the CJN does not appear in court. The meeting of the Presidency cabal also resolved and directed the new Acting Inspector-General of Police that the immediate arrest of the CJN on the same Tuesday as effort will be made to ensure he is served with the order same day, following the issuance of the arrest warrant would be his litmus test for his speedy confirmation as the substantive Inspector-General,” he said.

    Ugochinyere alleged that the meeting also resolved that a fresh petition against Onnoghen would immediately be forwarded to the National Judicial Council.

    He said the strategy was to force the CJN out of office and pave the way for Justice Ibrahim Muhammad who is the deputy chairman of the NJC to take over and do all their bidding.

    “Let it be known that unless and until the CJN is found guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction, he will not resign!” he said.

    He claimed that some other Justices of the Supreme Court were also being targeted for persecution.

    “They further resolved that another petition would now be forwarded to the National Judicial Council and that petition had already been drafted in the chambers of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

    “This petition will precede the other frivolous and trumped-up allegations which will be submitted against Justice Mary Peter-Odili, Justice Cletus Nweze and Justice Rhodes Vivour just to scare them away and tarnish their good names,” Ugochinyere added.

    He claimed that a minister, a state governor from the northern part of the country, another top government official and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, drafted the petition.

    He said President Muhammadu Buhari was aware of the development because it was resolved at the meeting that the minister and the state governor should brief him.

    “They want to force him out at all cost and put an acting CJN whose bidding will include setting up appeal panels to resolve the Rivers and Zamfara APC crisis in favour of the APC and the other states where they fear they will lose elections.

    “The states include Akwa Ibom, Delta, Lagos, Benue, Imo, Kwara, Plateau, Kaduna, Abia and Sokoto and also constitute a pro-Buhari post-presidential election tribunal. The CJN may not speak out because of the demands of his office, but we will not as the opposition, the bearers of the conscience and consciousness of the Nigerian people keep quiet and allow these felons to desecrate the Nigerian judiciary,” he said

    He added, “The only way the CJN can leave office is by Section 292 of the Constitution or by a proper conviction and not by stepping aside from the NJC. We are shouting it from the rooftops; let them put the CJN in handcuffs, let Danladi Umar in dancing to the tune of his APC blackmailers and issue arrest warrant, let the IG dance to the tune of the litmus test of arresting the CJN, let the APC-funded petition be brought to the NJC, Justice Onnoghen will not be forced out of office.”

    Ugochinyere also alleged that there was also pressure on the members of the NJC and moves to conscript them to force the CJN out of office.

    “Nigerians must rise now before this final bridge of the semblance of constitutional governance falls,” he added.

  • FG planning to arrest, replace CJN Onnoghen on Tuesday – CUPP

    Opposition parties under the aegis of Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) on Friday said they have uncovered a plan by the Federal Government to arrest the embattled Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, on Tuesday.

    The spokesperson of CUPP, Imo Ugochinyere, disclosed this at a press conference in Abuja.

    Ugochinyere said the arrest would be carried out shortly after a bench warrant would have been issued by the Code of Conduct Tribunal against Onnoghen.

    He added that arrangements had been concluded to immediately name Justice Tanko Muhammed as acting CJN.

    Details later…

     

  • Alleged false asset declaration: FG orders freezing of CJN Onnoghen’s bank accounts

    Alleged false asset declaration: FG orders freezing of CJN Onnoghen’s bank accounts

    The Federal Government has ordered that restrictions be placed on five bank accounts belonging to the embattled Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen.

    The restriction order was contained in a letter with reference number HAGF/2019/E06/Vol.01, by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), dated January 14, 2019 and addressed to the Director, Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit.

    According to a report by The Punch, a top official in the AGF’s office confirmed that the freezing order originated from Malami.

    The first national spokesperson for the Coalition of United Political Parties, Imo Ugochinyere, made copies of the letter available to journalists at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday.

    The letter, which was signed by Abiodun Aikomo on behalf of the AGF, asked that normal banking operations be restricted on the CJN’s accounts domiciled in Standard Chartered Bank, pending the final determination of the case against the CJN at the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

    According to the letter, the directive was given in pursuant to the Presidential Executive Order 6 of 2018.

    The letter was titled, “Re: Request for freezing of bank accounts subject to investigation and prosecution pursuant to Presidential Executive Order No. 6 of July 5, 2018 on the preservation of assets connected with corruption.”

    It read, “I am directed by Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, to request that you, pursuant to the Presidential Executive Order No. 6 of 2018, forthwith restrict normal banking operations on certain accounts belonging to Hon. Justice Walter Onnoghen, pending the final determination of the case against him at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT/ABJ/1/19 – Federal Republic of Nigeria v. Hon. Justice Onnoghen Nkanu Walter Samuel).

    “These accounts are as follows: a. Account No. 5001062686 (euro) Standard Chartered Bank (SCB); b. Account No. 5001062679 (pound sterling) SCB; c. Account No. 0001062650 (dollar) SCB; d. Account No. 0001062667 (naira) SCB; and e. Account No. 5000162693 (naira).”