The National Judicial Council (NJC) has summoned an emergency meeting over the suspension of Walter Onnoghen, chief justice of Nigeria (CJN).

TheCable understands that the meeting will be held in Abuja by 10am on Monday.

The meeting was called by some NJC members in line with its rules.

A member of NJC told TheCable on Sunday that neither Onnoghen, whose suspension has become a subject of controversy, nor Ibrahim Muhammad, the acting CJN, will be allowed to preside over the meeting.

WHAT DO NJC RULES SAY?

According to the rules guiding the conduct of NJC meetings, five or more members can summon a meeting subject to a request made to the chairman.

TheCable was unable to confirm if this requirement was met.

The rules state that:

The council shall hold meetings at such times and place as the chairman may appoint.
Notwithstanding the provision of paragraph (1) of this regulation, a meeting of the council shall be convened if five or more members make a request to that effect, in writing to the chairman, specifying the business to be transacted.

Every meeting of the council shall be presided by the chairman and in his absence, by a member selected by a simple majority of members present and/or nominations in the call of expression of interest and in the request for nomination.

The quorum for a meeting shall not be less than one-third of the total number of the council members as at the date of that meeting.

A member shall be entitled to one vote and the simple majority votes shall be the decision of the council.

WHO ARE NJC MEMBERS?

According to 1999 constitution, members of the council are:

the chief justice of Nigeria who shall be the chairman

the next most senior justice of the supreme court who shall be the deputy chairman

the president of the court of appeal

five retired justices selected by the CJN from the supreme court or court of appeal

the chief judge of the federal high court;

five chief judges of states to be appointed by the CJN from among the chief judges of the states and of the high court of the FCT, Abuja

one grand kadi to be appointed by the CJN from among grand kadis of the Sharia courts of appeal to serve in rotation for two years;

one president of the customary court of appeal to be appointed by the CJN from among the Presidents of the Customary Courts of Appeal to serve in rotation for two years

five members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) who have been qualified to practise for a period of not less than 15 years, at least one of whom shall be a SAN, appointed by the CJN on the recommendation of the national executive committee of the NBA to serve for two years and subject to re-appointment, provided that the five members shall sit in the Council only for the purposes of considering the names of persons for appointment to the superior courts of record; and
two persons not being legal practitioners, who in the opinion of the CJN, are of unquestionable integrity.

WHAT ARE THE POWERS AND DUTIES OF NJC?

The constitution says the NJC shall have power to, among other things:

recommend to the president the removal from office of the specified judicial officers and to exercise disciplinary control over such officers;

recommend to the governors the removal from the office of the judicial officers
collect, control and disburse all moneys, capital and recurrent, for the judiciary;

advise the president and governors or any matter pertaining to the judiciary as may be referred to the council by the president or the governors;

appoint, dismiss and exercise disciplinary control over members and staff of the council

WHAT IS THE STATE OF PLAY?

President Muhammadu Buhari replaced Onnoghen with Muhammad on Friday, citing an order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) had filed a six-count charge against the CJN based on a petition written by the Anti-Corruption and Research Based Data Initiative (ARDI), a civil society group.

In the petition dated January 7, the group, had among other things, accused Onnoghen of false assets declaration.

While administering oath of office on Muhammad, Buhari said security agencies traced millions of dollars to accounts Onnoghen.

“Although the allegations in the petition are grievous enough in themselves, the security agencies have since then traced other suspicious transactions running into millions of dollars to the CJN’s personal accounts, all undeclared or improperly declared as required by law,” he had said.

But many lawyers and civil rights activists have kicked against the president’s action, saying the NJC ought to have investigated the allegations levelled against Onnoghen.

In a statement, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) accused Buhari of usurping the powers of the NJC.

“The action of the Executive portends a slide into anarchy and complete deconstruction of the Rule of Law and due process,” read the statement signed by Paul Usoro, NBA president.

“It amounts to an absolute breach of the Constitution and the usurpation of the powers of the Senate and the Nigerian Judicial Council.”

https://www.thecable.ng/exclusive-njc-members-summon-emergency-meeting-over-onnoghen/

A member of NJC told TheCable on Sunday that neither Onnoghen, whose suspension has become a subject of controversy, nor Ibrahim Muhammad, the acting CJN, will be allowed to preside over the meeting.

The Cable News, that Member is deceiving you. There is no way NJC will hold any meeting without a duly sworn in Acting CJN presiding.

What will happen in the meeting;

1. They will criticize the executive for not referring the matter to NJC.

2. They will suspend Walter Onnoghen officially pending the duration of his trial.

Church agbasaa!

Thank you

Overrule the despot!

Shame Buharists aka looonatics aka zombies!!

That's better.....




Hope the outcome will be fair to all and not favour one side

Impostor Tanko going going!!!!!!

Clerverly:


The Cable News, that Member is deceiving you. There is no way NJC will hold any meeting without a duly sworn in Acting CJN presiding.

Lol which CJN? Who made him CJN? Remember i told you by next week you will know who is in charge of the judiciary?
BTW he was not duly sworn in.The NJC has nothing to do with the process that produced that impostor.He would be suspended from the bench at the end of this meeting.

This week is the release of Game of Thrones Nigerian version

At last?

The Cabals must lose this one
The judiciary must be protected. Onnoghen and Tanko Mohammed have to step aside

PaChukwudi44:

Lol which CJN? Who made him CJN? Remember i told you by next week you will know who is in charge of the judiciary?
BTW he was not duly sworn in.The NJC has nothing to do with the process that produced that impostor.He would be suspended from the bench at the end of this meeting.

Chukwudi44, the NJC will ask Onnoghen to step aside or even suspend him...and nothing more.

Clerverly:


Chukwudi44, the NJC will ask Onnoghen to step aside or even suspend him...and nothing more.

Okay sir.Thank God tomorrow is not far.May God keep us all alive

Drama upon drama.

Lalasticlala why is this thread not yet on for?

Clerverly:


The Cable News, that Member is deceiving you. There is no way NJC will hold any meeting without a duly sworn in Acting CJN presiding.

What will happen in the meeting;

1. They will criticize the executive for not referring the matter to NJC.

2. They will suspend Walter Onnoghen officially pending the duration of his trial.

Church agbasaa!

Cleverley being clever by half.

PaChukwudi44:

Lol which CJN? Who made him CJN? Remember i told you by next week you will know who is in charge of the judiciary?
BTW he was not duly sworn in.The NJC has nothing to do with the process that produced that impostor.He would be suspended from the bench at the end of this meeting.

You are in for a rude awakening.

Clerverly:


The Cable News, that Member is deceiving you. There is no way NJC will hold any meeting without a duly sworn in Acting CJN presiding.

What will happen in the meeting;

1. They will criticize the executive for not referring the matter to NJC.

2. They will suspend Walter Onnoghen officially pending the duration of his trial.

Church agbasaa!

Ka Chineke mezie okwu

deomelo:





You are in for a rude awakening.

I think this comment should be directed to you

PaChukwudi44:

I think this comment should be directed to you

I'm not the supporter and defender of crooks, criminals and corrupt public officials, you are.

deomelo:



I'm not the supporter and defender of crooks, criminals and corrupt public officials, you are.

Yes you are

deomelo:
Fact is, the judiciary can not sustain the damage and disrepute this drama is heaping in them and at some point, they have to show the world that they have a reputation to protect and their profession and their reputation is bigger than the now disgraced and suspended CJ.


They must do what they should have done and what the corrupt CJ tried to prevent and sweep under the carpet by canceling the NJC meeting indefinitely which is asking the corrupt CJ to step aside pending the conclusion of the investigation and trial because he's a self confessed law breaker with unexplained wealth totaling millions of dollars.

The crooked CJ himself is not only a crook, he's a thoughtless, senseless and useless man because he should have resigned and shield his profession, the judiciary and the NJC from shame, ridicule and embarrassment.

All this rants will not stop the impostor's suspension tomorrow

Viergeachar:
Thank you

Overrule the despot!

Shame Buharists aka looonatics aka zombies!!

Never going to happen. They will end up suspending Onnoghen officially after criticizing the president. Onnoghen is currently a serious dent on the image of the judiciary, he will be thrown under the bus to save face.

nwabobo:


Cleverley being clever by half.

The council can only appoint someone to preside if the chairman is absent. Tanko will preside in as much as he’s present.

seunmsg:


The council can only appoint someone to preside if the chairman is absent. Tanko will preside in as much as he’s present.

Preside in what capacity? Is he the chairman? As far as the NJC is concerned Onnoggen remains the CJN

seunmsg:


The council can only appoint someone to preside if the chairman is absent. Tanko will preside in as much as he’s present.

Sorry Sir, the president court of Appeal wld take charge.

Tanko is a party & a beneficiary, he can’t preside in all fairness!

PaChukwudi44:

Preside in what capacity? Is he the chairman? As far as the NJC is concerned Onnoggen remains the CJN

Even before he was appointed as acting CJN, he was the vice chairman of the council. Onnoghen is currently on house arrest, he won’t be attending the meeting. Tanko will preside and you can’t do anything about it.

TB27:


Sorry Sir, the president court of Appeal wld take charge.

Tanko is a party & a beneficiary, he can’t preside in all fairness!

According to which section of the constitution?

seunmsg:


Never going to happen. They will end up suspending Onnoghen officially after criticizing the president. Onnoghen is currently a serious dent on the image of the judiciary, he will be thrown under the bus to save face.

Thank God the meeting is less than 24 hours away.No time for long arguments

Now Tanko will issue a kangaroo recommendation to the presidency recommending the sack of Onnoghen.

The presidency will now argue that they've finally acted through the recommendation of NJC.

At this juncture, Nigeria should just be auctioned on eBay.

Fake zombies bowing down to a man without primary 6 certificate