DANLADI Umar, Code of Conduct Tribunal Chairman, has adjourned the trial of Walter Onnoghen, Chief Justice of Nigeria on the grounds of his absence at the court.
The trial, scheduled to hold on Monday, February 4, has been rescheduled for February 13.
Umar declared that the suspended CJN must be in the tribunal court himself as the case cannot proceed in his absence.
The allegation against Justice Onnoghen has been that he failed to comprehensively declare his assets which resulted in his suspension by the presidency as advised by the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
Meanwhile, yielding to the interference of the National Judicial Council, the Senate, today issued a directive to terminate the case it filed over the suspension of the jurist at the Supreme Court.
The Senate made known its intention to withdraw the case in a press statement signed by Yusuph Olaniyonu, Senate President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity. The statement recorded that the Senate has resolved to allow the NJC to handle the issue.
On January 28th, Saraki had gone to the Supreme Court to inquire into Onnoghen’s suspension, demanding to know the legality of the President Buhari’s decision to suspend Onnoghen and replacing him with Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed.
According to the statement, “This decision also affirms the confidence of the Senate in the ability of the NJC to successfully and creditably resolve the issues.” Hence the case is withdrawn from the highest law Court for the NJC to take over.