The Nigerian Judiciary may be on the brink of a constitutional leadership crisis as President Muhammadu Buhari has not accepted the nomination of Justice Walter Onnoghen as the next Chief Justice of the Federation or sent his name to the Senate for confirmation.

The current Chief Justice of Federation – Justice Mahmud Mohammed – will retire officially on Thursday November 10, 2016 upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70. In line with the provisions of Section 231 of the Constitution, the National Judicial Council (NJC) had written to President Buhari recommending for appointment on October 12, 2016, almost a month ago.

As it stands, the Nigerian Judiciary will be without a legal and administrative head once this happens. This will be the first time since democracy returned to Nigeria in 1999 that such a situation will occur.

The refusal of President Buhari to accept Onnoghen’s nomination may not be unconnected to his origin. Sources within the Presidential Villa inform us that President Buhari is uncomfortable with the prospect of having to work closely with Onnoghen – who hails from Cross Rivers State in southern Nigeria.

President Buhari is said to be uncomfortable with the prospect of being the first President in 30 years to appoint a judge from the southern part of Nigeria as Chief Justice of the Federation.

Our sources also say that Justice Onnoghen’s strong will and stubbornness is a source of worry for the President. There are fears within the President’s inner circle that Justice Onnoghen’s nature will make him rebuff instructions from the Presidency on legal and administrative matters within the judiciary.

“Many people have advised the President that Onnoghen has a mind of his own and will not adhere to instructions. If you remember well, in 2007 he was the one of the Justices that gave a dissenting judgment nullifying the election of former President Jonathan over non printing of serial numbers on the ballot papers despite the pressure from outside the judiciary to uphold the elections.” our source said.

He continued, “People within the Presidency have convinced Mr. President that this is not always a good thing as Justice Onnoghen will definitely go against Mr. President’s directives if he feels the need to do so. Once you consider Mr. President’s stance towards the judiciary since he was sworn into office, you will realise how easy it has been to convince him that Onnoghen’s nomination is not in his best interest.”

“For instance, Justice Onnoghen is very critical of the operation in the homes of judges by the DSS. He is also very critical of the decision of NJC to suspend the Justices despite the fact that no formal charge has been filed against them.”

source: www.leaders.ng

change onnoghen into sani usman abdullahi n see d dullard approve him with d speed of light.

The reasons given here are subjective but in all honesty can possibly be very true.

Buhari sees the south as slaves and should not be in any position of power especially where he knows he will not be able to control that person.

We are watching!

drss2:
change onnoghen into sani usman abdullahi n see d dullard approve him with d speed of light.

U this guy....! U be my twin broda?? Why u de always commot my belle for area matter??

Nice Observation....!!
The Dullard does not recognise South at all..

Una don start with conjectures right?

ZKOSOSO:


U this guy....! U be my twin broda?? Why u de always commot my belle for area matter??

Nice Observation....!!
The Dullard does not recognise South at all..

d dullard is just too predictable

He should officially change his name to mohammed onoghen

The source is not a credible one and I don't believe anything at all in the write up. However, any attempt to overlook Onnoghen and appoint a northerner will be fiercely resisted. I believe the president is a fair man and he will do the right thing as regards the next CJN.

What will be will be !

No matter how tribalistic Buhari is, he has no choice in this matter. We know that the raid on judges homes were intended to rope in Onoghen and stop him at all cost. But it failed. In few days time there will be no chief judge. We are watching Buhari. Every southerner whether from the west, east, and south south must resist him this time.

We all know that the raid on the Justice is a script to make sure the South does not the çjn

Buhari wants to rope in and completely control the judiciary and the legislature. Welcome to 1984!

tinsel:
No matter how tribalistic Buhari is, he has no choice in this matter. We know that the raid on judges homes were intended to rope in Onoghen and stop him at all cost. But it failed. In few days time there will be no chief judge. We are watching Buhari. Every southerner whether from the west, east, and south south must resist him this time.

buari will soon show his true colors as d chief nepotist of nigeria.

seunmsg:
The source is not a credible one and I don't believe anything at all in the write up. However, any attempt to overlook Onnoghen and appoint a northerner will be fiercely resisted. I believe the president is a fair man and he will do the right thing as regards the next CJN.

How fair has he been in the appointments made so far?
How many southerners has he appointed into offices that's not dictated by the constitution?
Please don't preach to me about fairness in relation to Buhari, that guy is just too bigoted and sectional to be called fair.

Because he is not a cow brained a-b-o-ki Nama. That is the plain and honest truth. If he had come from abokiland instead of the Niger Delta he would have been forced on us even if it was not his turn to be CJN.

Buhari is a dullard I expect him to change the name to Ahmed umaru Abdul Hakim Aziz and u will see him accept the nominee... welcome to Islamic state on Nigeria

We're conducting background checks on the nominee to be sure he has not received bribes to pervert cause of justice in the past.

If he comes out clean, he will be made the CJN. If not, no amount of wailing will make him.

Oya, start quoting me with the only word you know- zombie.

tinsel:
No matter how tribalistic Buhari is, he has no choice in this matter. We know that the raid on judges homes were intended to rope in Onoghen and stop him at all cost. But it failed. In few days time there will be no chief judge. We are watching Buhari. Every southerner whether from the west, east, and south south must resist him this time.

Immediately the DSS failed to rope in Onghen I knew Buhari was stuck with him ..let's wait till Thursday and see

Any attempt by Buhari to shortchange the South on this one will be fiercely resisted.

PaulIdu:


Immediately the DSS failed to rope in Onghen I knew Buhari was stuck with him ..let's wait till Thursday and see

make we wait see wetin go happen.

DropShot:
We're conducting background checks on the nominee to be sure he has not received bribes to pervert cause of justice in the past.

If he comes out clean, he will be made the CJN. If not, no amount of wailing will make him.

Oya, start quoting me with the only word you know- zombie.

Who are We? The northern ethnic bigots I presume

The only reason we will accept any other CJN apart from this man is if the person is from the south.

Any attempt at all to replace him with a Northerner will spell doom for Buhari and his govt.

Whom the gods will destroy,they first make mad!!!

while the write up is speculative & the source questionable, the inability or reluctance of PMB to do the needful is further cause for concern from this rudderless regime.

tomorrow when issues arise from this inaction, the executive will heap blame on the Judiciary, conveniently forgetting that the vacuum that will be created will have severe repercussions in future...

same way its delay in constituting the government had repercussions but which they deny...

Crazy hungry bloggers and deranged ipob youths everywhere. When the DSS arrests them now they will be crying.We have read that this man onnhogen allegedly was part of the rot in the Supreme Court but the President resisted his inclusion among the judges to face trial for bribery and corruption because he was worried that it could be given a tribal interpretation by his political enemies. The president has a conscience and knows approving this man while others are facing trial is unfair. Infact,the president is in a fix because the other Supreme Court judges will squeal and make their own arrests appear as selective. Buhari needs wisdom to navigate this fix. If he dare fall into the trap of appointing onnhogehen, he will be thoroughly embarrassed. The president should be bold and ensure that justice is served. If you respect your community and those from your area who you represent at the center, you should not go there and perpetuate corruption.

kamalcole3000:


Who are We? The northern ethnic bigots I presume

The only reason we will accept any other CJN apart from this man is if the person is from the south.

Any attempt at all to replace him with a Northerner will spell doom for Buhari and his govt.

Whom the gods will destroy,they first make mad!!!

We're used to the empty chest beating.

kamalcole3000:
Any attempt by Buhari to shortchange the South on this one will be fiercely resisted.

Stop making empty noise.

I agree with those who suggest the reportage is speculative. But then again, I will not put it past mr president to be iffy about appointing a southerner to such position.

I agree with those who suggest the reportage is speculative. But then again, I will not put it past mr president to be iffy about appointing a southerner to such a position.

agabusta:
Una don start with conjectures right?

Conjectures u call it? please what feasible explanation is there for the President’s apparent disregard of his constitutional function? If he had acted timeously would anyone try to question his motives? if u feel people don't have the right to question his actions and inaction then u miss the point completely.

In the entire history of Nigeria with successive presidents has this looming constitutional vacuum due to deliberate dereliction of duty by the president ever occurred? Why now? That is how he delayed the longest time ever in appointing noisemakers cum ministers and we can see the effect even though there no statutory time frame for appointment of ministers yet then how much more a function he is bound to perform by the constitution which he swore to respect and uphold!

Onnoghen is actually Buhari's loyalist if you check his judicial history in cases involving Buhari in past Presidential election disputes. He will surely be named the next CJN because as the most senior supreme court justice, the NJC is obliged to forward his name to Buhari for assent. I laughed after reading this report because it could only come from the senile imaginations of PDP clowns who have started to lose grip of their minds after only one year in opposition. What will happen when they spend at least, another 7 years in the dustbin?

Chia which kin lie lie news be dis

comos:
“Many people have advised the President that Onnoghen has a mind of his own and will not adhere to instructions. If you remember well, in 2007 he was the one of the Justices that gave a dissenting judgment nullifying the election of former President Jonathan over non printing of serial numbers on the ballot papers despite the pressure from outside the judiciary to uphold the elections.” our source said.
source: www.leaders.ng

Abeg which election when Bro Jonathan contest for 2007?
This is the problem with telling lies, u mix up the facts.

Whether Buhari likes it or not, by friday, Justice onoghen will automatically becomes the new Chief justices of the Nation

DropShot:

We're used to the empty chest beating.

Tell you what!
I have a dream, that This contraption called Naijeriyah will disintegrate under this under this Fulani herdsman that leading you like his cows to the slaughter slab!

That way you can have your Arewa republic of bokoh harah ably led Khalif abduram Ibn Almansor Abubakar Shekau.

That way you will have Arewa republic of your dream.