Observers of the shenanigans around the Code of Conduct Tribunal’s (CCT) proceedings against Chief Justice Onnoghen were not disappointed about its outcome when the Tribunal returned its verdict on Thursday, 18th April 2019. The Tribunal convicted the former Chief Justice of Nigeria on a six-count charge preferred against him, bordering on breach of Code of Conduct for Public Officers. Following his conviction, the Tribunal said it was barring him from holding public office for the next ten years and ordered the forfeiture of the monies in Mr. Onnoghen’s five bank accounts, which he failed to declare, to the Federal Government. The Tribunal also ordered his removal from office as Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the National Judicial Council and the Federal Judicial Service Commission. In its judgment, the Tribunal stated that the former CJN’s admission that he forgot to declare the five bank accounts in question, serves as partial confession to his breach of the provisions of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act (Laws of the Federation 2004), and his failure to explain how he amassed such amounts of money was an indication that they were illegally acquired. The former CJN has approached the Court of Appeal to challenge the decision. Mr. Onnoghen’s travails began on 11th January 2019, when he was charged by the Code of Conduct Bureau for non-declaration of assets and he was subsequently suspended by President Muhammadu Buhari on 25th January 2019 for the alleged breach. Towards the conclusion of his trial, which began with his arraignment on 15th February 2019, reports had it that he tendered a resignation letter to President Buhari on 4th April 2019, resigning his position as Chief Justice of Nigeria.
News reports have it that the National Judicial Council (NJC) has removed his name from the Council’s list of members and named Acting Chief Justice Muhammad Tanko as Acting Chairman, in light of Mr. Onnoghen’s conviction. The NJC had held a meeting on 3rd April 2019, where it deliberated over a petition lodged against the former CJN by a non-governmental organisation, Anti-Corruption and Research Based Data Initiative and made recommendations with respect to the matter, which were forwarded to the Presidency. It was also at this meeting that the Council was said to have cleared Justice Muhammad Tanko of wrongdoing by reason of presenting himself to be sworn in as Acting CJN without the recommendation of the NJC, giving him the go ahead to act as Chairman of the Council and the Federal Judicial Service Commission, positions that automatically rest on the Chief Justice of Nigeria by virtue of constitutional provisions.