National Industrial Court of Nigeria upholds judgement halting any action against Justice Onnoghen for now

EMBATTLED chief judge of Nigeria Justice Walter Onnoghen received a further reprieve today when the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) upheld an earlier judgement refraining the government from taking any further action against him for now.

Over the last few weeks, Justice Onnoghen has been involved in intense political jockeying with the government that involved him being charged before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT). About a fortnight ago, Justice Onnoghen was reportedly suspended from office over claims that he falsely declared his assets.

However, Justice Onnoghen challenged the jurisdiction of the CCT to try him and filed a motion to that effect. Just after the initial CCT hearing ended on January 14, an Abuja federal high court stopped the federal government’s plan to arraign Justice Onnoghen, before the CCT, ruling that all action should be suspended until the substantive suit on the matter is heard.

Today, the NICN upheld that judgement, restraining the attorney-general of the federation  and other agencies from forcing Justice Onnoghen to vacate office in view of the allegations made against him. Also to be bound by the order are other defendants in a suit including the chairman of the CCT, the Code of Conduct Bureau chairman, the National Judicial Council, the Federal Judicial Service Commission, the inspector-general of police and the senate president.

Justice Sanusi Kado had, in an ex-parte ruling on January 14 this year made a similar order and equally halted the scheduled trial of Justice Onnoghen.  Justice Kado said the orders were necessary to avert a threat and constitutional breaches regarding the position of the chief justice of Nigeria as the number one judicial officer of the country.