Connect with us

News

CJN: Protesters Storm CCT, Demand Withdrawal Of Charges …As CCT Rejects High Court Orders Stopping Onnoghen’s Trial

Published

6 years ago

on

Over 1,000 protesters, yesterday, stormed the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), asking the Federal Government to withdraw the non-assets declaration charges it preferred against the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen.
The placard and national flag-wielding protesters surrounded the perimeters of the tribunal which is located at the Jabi District of the Federal Capital Territory, drumming and chanting in solidarity with the embattled CJN.
Among the protesters were groups of Muslim women, lawyers and several civil society organisations.
Armed mobile policemen were, however, stationed at strategic locations within and outside the CCT premises.
Meanwhile, for the second time, the CJN declined to appear before the Mr. Danladi Umar’s led three-member tribunal.
A consortium of over 80 lawyers led by a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Chief Wole Olanipekun, however, announced their appearance for the CJN.
Olanipekun drew attention of the tribunal to two different High Court orders, as well as an order of the National Industrial Court, stopping trial of the CJN pending determination of the cases.
He further notified the tribunal that the Abuja Division of Court of Appeal has already been briefed of the facts of the case.
Consequently, Olanipekun applied for the trial to be adjourned indefinitely pending the decision of the Court of Appeal.
“The Supreme Court had repeatedly held that it will amount to judicial rascality and irresponsibility if a court or tribunal is aware and still proceeds”, Olanipekun submitted.
After Olanipekun’s submission, the CCT temporarily suspended its proceeding to rule on an application the CJN had filed to challenge his trial.
The three-member tribunal had said it will reconvene by 1:30pm to decide whether or not it would okay indefinite adjournment of the criminal charges the Federal Government entered against the CJN.
Onnoghen, who for the second time, failed to appear before the CCT to take his plea on the six-count charge bordering on his alleged failure to declare his assets as well as allegations that he maintained domiciliary foreign bank accounts, had through his team of lawyers, applied for his trial to be adjourned sine-die.
But on resumption of proceedings later, the Code of Conduct Tribunal said orders made by the Federal High Court and the National Industrial Court of Nigeria stopping the trial of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, were not binding on it.
The CCT held that the courts are of coordinate jurisdiction with the CCT and so lack powers to issue orders to the tribunal.
The CCT Chairman, Danladi Umar, said this while rejecting a motion by Onnoghen asking the tribunal to adjourn indefinitely based on orders made by two high courts and the NICN that parties must maintain status quo.
Meanwhile, the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) sitting in Abuja, yesterday held that the orders by the Federal High Court and the National Industrial Court restraining or stopping it from proceeding with the trial of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen are not binding on it.
The three-member panel of the Tribunal headed by Danladi Yakubu Umar, in a split decision of two to one, discountenanced the orders of the two courts on the grounds that they were courts of equal jurisdiction and the CCT is a special Court empowered to handle exclusively the issues relating to assets declaration of public office holders.
Onnoghen’s lead counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun (CJN), in the non disclosure of assets charge preferred against him by the federal government had, in an application asked the Tribunal to adjourn trial indefinitely pending the determination of suits seeking to stop the trial, wherein the courts ordered that trial should be temporarily put in hold.
Umar had in his ruling held that those who obtained the orders of the High Court were busybodies because they are not parties in the matter at the Tribunal and maintained that the orders of the High Courts and that of the National Industrial Court are null and void on account of being inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution.
According to the CCT chairman, Section 246(1)(a) of the Constitution makes it crystal clear that the Tribunal has unquantified jurisdiction to hear any assets declaration case as may be referred to it by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).
He also disagreed with the request by the lead defence counsel for an adjournment of the trial sine die (indefinitely) on the grounds of a pending appeal at the Court of Appeal, adding that section 306 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2015, did not make provisions for stay of proceedings in a criminal matter and that in the instant case, it shall not be entertained.
Atedze, in his dissenting ruling, held that it would result to judicial anarchy for the Tribunal to proceed with the trial in view of the four subsisting court orders and the pending appeal at the Court of Appeal.
According to him, orders are binding on the Tribunal until they are set aside in view of Section 287(3) of the 1999 Constitution which allow court orders to be enforced in all parts of the county and that the CCT cannot operate in isolation.
“Having summarised argument from both parties, it is my submission that CCT, as a creation of law is bound by the existing court orders to avoid judicial anarchy,” he held in his dissenting decision.
The member who further said that the issue of jurisdiction of the Tribunal to entertain the charge against the CJN must first be resolved added that status quo must be maintained by adjourning proceedings sine die until all contending issues are resolved.
Although the Chairman ordered that the motion challenging the jurisdiction of the Tribunal to be moved immediately, Chief Olanipekun however, informed the Tribunal that the response of the complainant, Federal government was served on him late Monday and as such, needed time to study the response and then file the reply on point of law.
Counsel to the Federal government, Aliyu Umar, agreed that the government’s response was served late on the defendant, prompting the Chairman to adjourn further proceedings till Monday, January 28, 2019.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

News

Shettima In Ethiopia For State Visit 

Published

5 days ago

on

June 27, 2025

By

Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.

Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.

Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”

During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.

The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.

In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.

 

Continue Reading

News

RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers

Published

5 days ago

on

June 27, 2025

By

The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.

 

This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.

 

The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.

 

The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.

 

Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.

 

The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.

 

He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.

 

According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the  financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts  inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.

 

At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.

 

He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.

 

Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.

 

According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.

 

At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.

 

He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.

 

Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.

 

He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.

 

However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.

 

At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.

 

He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.

 

Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.

 

Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.

 

In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.

 

At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.

 

Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.

 

Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.

 

John Bibor

 

Continue Reading

News

Tinubu Orders Civil Service Personnel Audit, Skill Gap Analysis 

Published

5 days ago

on

June 27, 2025

By

President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.

The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.

“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.

Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.

He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.

“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.

President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.

He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.

“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.

“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.

Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.

Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.

Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.

She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.

Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.

 

 

 

Continue Reading

Trending