Onnoghen Reveals What Appeal Court Was Ordered To Do

The suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, has alleged that the Court of Appeal has been directed not to give judgment in the appeals filed by him.

The embattled CJN also expressed concern that while political and election matters were treated with urgency, the Court of Appeal had not been able to deliver judgment in the appeals filed by Onnoghen six weeks after they were heard.

In a statement on Monday by Onnoghen’s lead counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN)  stated that most Nigerian public officers and judges were seen as accused as he is.

The statement reads, “Whereas political matters and election matters were treated with dispatch, and judgment delivered within hours, the appeal of Chief Justice of Nigeria, six weeks after the argument was ordered to be kept away in the file.

“There is no association of Nigerian judges to speak a word.

“Let no public officer or judicial officer at any level, throw stones because if not all, most are guilty as Onnoghen.

“Nobody knows who is next, a precedent has been laid.

“The honourable Attorney-General of the Federation seems pleased.”

Speaking further, Awomolo said his client’s ongoing trial had exposed the Nigerian judiciary to be a weak institution, just as he expressed worry that the Nigerian Bar Association “has by reason of personal leadership ambition been rendered ineffective, divided and weak”.

He also lamented that the framers of the Nigerian Constitution, “omitted to give sufficient attention to the need for the Code of Conduct Tribunal to secure its independence, impartiality and non-interference”.