NJC Gives Onnoghen, Mohammad Seven Days to Respond to Petitions, Reconvenes Feb 11

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has concluded its emergency meeting with far reaching resolutions among which is a seven working days ultimatum to both Mr. Walter Onnoghen and Mr. Ibrahim Tanko Mohammad to respond to their various petitions.

The Council also refered petition against CCT Chairman, Danladi Yakubu Umar, to the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) and resolved to reconvene on February 11, 2019.

Below is detailed statement on the Council’s resolution as signed by the Director of Information, Mr Soji Oye, Esq.

The National Judicial Council held an Emergency Meeting today and considered four (4) petitions filed at its Secretariat. The petitions are:

Petition against Hon. Mr. Justice W.S.N. Onnoghen, GCON by Zikhrillahi Ibrahim of Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civil Education;

Petition against Hon. Mr. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, CFR by Centre for Justice and Peace Initiative;
Petition against Hon. Mr. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, CFR by Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, OON; and
Petition against Hon. Danladi Yakubu Umar, Chairman, Code of Conduct Tribunal by Centre for Justice and Peace Initiative.
Council referred the petition against Hon. Danladi Yakubu Umar to the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) which is the appropriate constitutional body empowered to deal with it.

In line with its procedure, Council also forwarded the petitions against Hon. Justices W.S.N. Onnoghen, GCON and I. T. Muhammad, CFR to them for their responses.

In view of the gravity of the matters involved, Council abridged the usual response period from fourteen (14) to seven (7) working days for the Hon. Justices to respond.

Hon. Mr. Justice W. S. N. Onnoghen, GCON and Hon. Mr. Justice I.T. Muhammad, CFR recused themselves from the meeting. Consequently, Council elected Hon. Mr. Justice Umaru Abdullahi, CON, former President of the Court of Appeal as Interim Chairman to preside over the meeting.
Council will reconvene on the 11th February, 2019.

Soji Oye, Esq.
Director (Information)