Petitions: NJC Demands Reactions from Onnoghen, Acting CJN Muhammed …Gives 7-Day Ultimatum

Segun Atanda/

The Nigeria Judicial Council (NJC) rose from an emergency meeting today asking the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and the new occupant of the position to provide answers to questions raised in some petitions against them.

NewsmakersNG learnt that the NJC considered four petitions filed at its Secretariat.  The petitions are:

According to a statement from NJC’s Director of Information, Mr Soji Oye, the council acted on the petition against Hon. Mr. Justice Walter Onnoghen by Zikhrillahi Ibrahim of Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civil Education; petition against Hon. Mr. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, CFR by Centre for Justice and Peace Initiative; petition against Hon. Mr. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, CFR by Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, OON; and petition against Hon. Danladi Yakubu Umar, Chairman, Code of Conduct Tribunal by Centre for Justice and Peace Initiative.

The statement says: “Council referred the petition against Hon. Danladi Yakubu Umar to the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) which is the appropriate constitutional body empowered to deal with it.

“In line with its procedure, Council also forwarded the petitions against Hon. Justices W.S.N. Onnoghen, GCON and I. T. Muhammad, CFR to them for their responses.

“In view of the gravity of the matters involved, Council abridged the usual response period from fourteen (14) to seven (7) working days for the Hon. Justices to respond.

“Hon. Mr. Justice W. S. N. Onnoghen, GCON and Hon. Mr. Justice I.T. Muhammad, CFR recused themselves from the meeting.  Consequently, Council elected Hon. Mr. Justice Umaru Abdullahi, CON, former President of the Court of Appeal as Interim Chairman to preside over the meeting.

“Council will reconvene on the 11^th February, 2019.”