The NBA President, Mr. Paul Usoro, said in a statement on Tuesday that the association commended the Federal Government for adhering to due process by submitting the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) petition against Justice Onnoghen to the National Judicial Council (NJC) for consideration.
The NBA, however, urged the government to allow the NJC conclude investigations into the two petitions so far instituted against Onnoghen at the Council, in adherence to the law and due process.
The NJC had on Monday, February 11, 2019, gave Justice Onnoghen seven working days to respond to the EFCC petition against him before adjourning its sitting till Wednesday, February 13, 2019.
The NJC is expected to review a report of its pre-assessment committee on the petitions against Justice Onnoghen and the acting CJN, Justice Tanko Muhammad when it sits on Wednesday.
The NBA said, “Given these non exhaustive considerations and facts, we press on the Executive arm of the Federal Government to please discontinue the charge against the CJN when the matter comes up before the CCT tomorrow, Wednesday, 13 February 2019.”
Nigeria’s Channels Television report recalls that a similar demand had been made by a constitutional lawyer and human rights activist, Mr. Femi Falana, who condemned the suspension of the CJN.
Falana had last week written to the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, arguing that since a petition had been submitted to the NJC, alleging grave misconduct against Onnoghen, it was unconstitutional to continue with his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
“The charge should not be allowed to hang like a Sword of Damocles on the head of the Chief Justice while he is being investigated by the National Judicial Council,” he said.