CJN Onnoghen Absents Himself As His CCT Trial Begins

Chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnighen,  was absent when the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) commenced sitting on Monday.

It would be recalled that yesterday five out of six governors of Nigeria’s South-South came in defence of Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen and consequently prevailed on him not to appear when the trial opens at the tribunal on Monday morning.

The governors at an emergency meeting in Abuja onSunday said the move to prosecute the top jurist for alleged asset declaration infractions was vindictive and persecutory, and should be condemned by lovers of democracy.

The governors at the meeting were Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa, who chaired it at his guest house in Maitama, Abuja, Nyesom Wike of Rivers, Ben Ayade of Cross River and Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom.

Danladi Umar, chairman of the CCT, convened the session at 10am.

The tribunal had summoned Onnoghen following a petition submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) by a civil society group identified as the Anti-Corruption and Research Based Data Initiative (ARDI).

The CJN was accused of false declaration of assets and a six-count charge was filed against him.

Wole Olanipekun, counsel to Onnoghen, challenged the jurisdiction of the tribunal to hear the matter.

He said Onnoghen had not been indicted by the National Judicial Council (NJC), the body responsible for probing allegations levelled against serving judges.

He said the CJN was not given enough time to prepare for his arraignment before he was summoned by the tribunal.