Unic Press UK: The National Judicial Council (NJC) has constituted a preliminary complaints assessment committee to consider the responses of the ‘suspended’ Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen and the acting CJN, Tanko Mohammed to petitions.
During its meeting Monday, the NJC chaired by the former Court of Appeal president, Judge Umaru Abdullahi, also demanded that Onnoghen respond – within 7 days – to a fresh petition from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the NJC Director of Information, Soji Oye said in a press statement.
In January, President Muhammadu Buhari announced the suspension of Onnoghen; and appointed Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed as acting CJN. Buhari said he relied on an Order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT). Many experts in law and jurisprudence have argued that the president acted in contempt of an Order of the Appeal Court that the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) should maintain a stay of proceedings with regard to the six-count charge against the CJN, Walter Onnoghen. There’s also another argument that President Buhari’s decision probably runs against laid down procedure that the NJC is the only constitutional body empowered to hear petitions/complaints against a judge in the first instance.
The NJC adjourned to Wednesday, the 13th February 2019.
