No fewer than 150 Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SANs, have volunteered to put up appearances in defence of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice
No fewer than 150 Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SANs, have volunteered to put up appearances in defence of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen on Monday, before the Justice Danladi Yakubu led-Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), according to Constitutional lawyer, Sebastine Hon. This is coming on the heels of the federal government’s resolve to arraign and prefer criminal charges against the CJN on Monday January 14, 2019 before the CCT in Abuja over alleged failure to declare his assets as required by law and for operating Bank Domiciliary Foreign Currency Accounts.
The constitutional lawyer described the six-count criminal charge against the CJN as a deliberate attempt to gag the judiciary. Sebastine urged Walter Onnoghen not to heed to what he termed as an unholy call for him to step aside. He said: “While I know that the Chief Justice of Nigeria does not enjoy immunity from criminal prosecution, I see this move by the Federal Government as dangerously political and tendentious. Suddenly, we woke to see a petition leaked to the informal or social media, allegedly received by the Code of Conduct on 9th January, 2019.
“Suddenly, we are told charges have been filed against the CJN. Suddenly the Presidency is reportedly asking him to step aside! Was he interrogated or interviewed and his own reactions obtained?”
