The federal government has
reportedly filed a motion at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) seeking the
removal of Walter Onnoghen as the chief justice of Nigeria (CJN).
In documents seen by PUNCH, the
motion was filed on Thursday by Musa Ibrahim and Fatima Danjuma Ali on behalf
of Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation (AGF).
The move is reportedly aimed at
getting Ibrahim Muhammed, the next in line, appointed as acting chief justice
pending the determination of the case against Onnoghen.
The federal government prayed the
tribunal for an interlocutory order “directing the defendant/respondent to step
aside as the Chief Justice of Nigeria and chairman of the National Judicial
Council over an allegation of contravening the provision of the Code of Conduct
Bureau and Tribunal Act CAP C15 Laws of the federation of Nigeria 2004 pending
the determination of the case.
“An interlocutory order of the
honourable tribunal directing the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
to take all necessary measures to swear in the most senior Justice of the
Supreme Court as an acting Chief Justice and chairman of the National Judicial
Council in order to prevent a vacuum in the judicial arm of government pending
the determination of the case.”
The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB)
had filed a six-count charge of false assets declaration against Onnoghen in
response to a petition filed by the Anti-Corruption and Research Based Data
Initiative (ARDI).
On Wednesday, the federal
government asked the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) to freeze five
bank accounts belonging to Onnoghen.
The Coalition of United Political
Parties (CUPP), on Friday, alleged that there is a plot by the federal
government to arrest Onnoghen.
The National Industrial Court has
given an order restraining the police from arresting the CJN.
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