by our correspondent
Indications emerged weekend that the highest judiciary body, National Judicial Council, NJC, is set to meet and may ask the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen to Step Aside in other to save the Nigerian judiciary from chaos, embarrassment and anarchy.
The source said that precedents that has been set so far, “once a judicial officer’s integrity is in question the must honourable thing to do is to excuse your self from your official functions as a judicial officer” the source cited the case of Justice Sylvester Ngwuta of the supreme court and the just sacked Chief Judge of Abia State, Justice Theresa Uzokwe.
He said that the acting CJN, Justice Tanko Ibrahim Mohammed who is the deputy chairman of the NJC will preside over the meeting alongside other members to decide Onnoghen fate.
Also, a highly placed security source yesterday also, told Daybreak that the embattled CJN is under house arrest in other to prevent politicians and other interest groups from disturbing his peace.
According to the security source, as soon as the NJC takes a decisive decision on Onnoghen the operatives of the Department of State security Services, DSS and other security operatives stationed at his official residence will vacate the premises.
Meanwhile, the newly inaugurated Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, has observed that the country’s Judiciary was currently going through a trying time.
Muhammad urged all stakeholders, particularly members of the nation’s Judiciary to stand up against destructive forces and protect the honour and integrity of the judicial arm of government.
He spoke in Abuja at the weekend while administering oath of office on the 250 members of the 2019 Election Petition Tribunals.
The members were sworn-in in one of the courtrooms of the Supreme Court. The event was Muhammad’s first official assignment since he was sworn-in on Friday by President Muhammadu Buhari, who also suspended the CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen.
Onnoghen and about 13 other Justices of the court, except Justice Dauda Sidi Bage, stayed away from the event.
When our correspondent asked one of the Directors at the apex court why other Justices stayed away wether they are protesting he simply replied they were not meant to attend the function even if it’s was carried on by Justice Onnoghen.
He further added that, when Justice Tanko was sworn in on Friday as the acting CJN most of the supreme court Justices visited him at his residence.
Muhammad said: “The Judiciary is in a trying time. We must. And, I repeat, we must stand to protect and uphold the integrity of this arm of government.If any other person is trying to destroy it, we should try to protect it. If we don’t protect it ourselves, no one else will protect it for us. “So therefore, it is our bounding duty to see that we protect the Judiciary wherever you find yourself,” he said.
