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- NJC sets up five-man panel to investigate Onnoghen, Muhammad
- CUPP: Warrant designed to intimidate judiciary
Opposition political parties in the country under the aegis of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) and a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), have protested the order handed down to the Inspector General of Police (IG) and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), to arrest and produce the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, in court within 48 hours.
While Agbakoba expressed shock, describing the order as a subversion of the rule of law and due process, CUPP accused the presidency of intensifying efforts to clamp down on the CJN and use the ‘’stage-managed offence’’ to intimidate the judiciary and divert attention from the incompetence of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government.
Meanwhile, the National Judicial Council (NJC) yesterday constituted a five-man committee to investigate the various petitions against Onnoghen and the acting CJN, Justice Tanko Muhammad.
The CCT Chairman, Mr. Danladi Umar, had yesterday issued the bench warrant against Onnoghen following his absence in court for arraignment.
The tribunal had at its last sitting on February 4, ordered Onnoghen to make himself available in court on February 13, for arraignment over alleged failure to declare his assets.
When the matter came up yesterday, Onnoghen was not in court and his lawyers led by Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), prayed the court to take all pending applications relating to the trial, particularly the issue of the tribunal’s jurisdiction to hear the matter.
The senior counsel insisted that the issue of jurisdiction must be determined one way or another before the tribunal could proceed to take further motions.
He, therefore, prayed the tribunal to allow the issue of jurisdiction being the foundation of the trial to be resolved in the interest of justice.
But counsel to the federal government, Mr. Aliyu Umar (SAN), opposed the application by Onnoghen’s counsel and insisted that the issue of the defendant’s absence in court to take his plea, must be addressed first.
He said until the defendant appears physically in court, the issue of jurisdiction and other motions cannot be taken, adding that while in court, Onnoghen has the right to refuse to take plea but has no right to refuse to appear in court.
The counsel recalled that since January 14, when Onnoghen ought to have been arraigned, he was not in court, adding that even after the service of the charge had been effected on him in person, he still did not appear in court.
The government lawyer, who cited authorities to support his submissions, promised to make the authorities available to the tribunal to enable it arrive at a just conclusion.
However, in a surprise move, the CCT chairman brought out a written ruling and read almost immediately the government lawyer concluded his argument.
Full Story [ThisDay]