News

CCT Resumes Onnoghen’s Trial, Monday

Published

7 years ago

February 1, 2019

Following a request from the Federal Government, the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) in Abuja, yesterday, fixed February 4 to resume proceedings on the non assets declaration charge pending against the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen.
The Mr. Danladi Umar-led tribunal, in a statement made available to newsmen, disclosed that the Federal Government had in a letter that was signed by two legal officers at the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), Musa Ibrahim Usman and Fatima Danjuma Ali, applied for continuation of hearing on the charges against Onnoghen.
Onnoghen, who was last Friday, suspended from office by President Muhammadu Buhari, is facing a six-count charge bothering on his alleged failure to declare his assets as prescribed by the law.
He was in the charge marked CCT/ABJ/01/19, equally accused of maintaining five separate foreign bank accounts, in breach of the code of conduct for public office holders.
In the statement signed by the Head, Press and Public Relations, at the CCT, Mr. Ibraheem Al-Hassan, the Federal Government, via the letter it sent through the CCB, last Wednesday, drew attention of the Umar’s three-member panel to a ruling of the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, which cleared the coast for Onnoghen’s trial to proceed.
According to Al-Hassan, the Federal Government’s request read in part: “The above subject refers.
“This case came up for hearing of preliminary objection to the jurisdiction of the Tribunal on the 28th of January, 2019 but the Tribunal could not proceed due to the pendency of the case at the Court of Appeal.
“However, in the wake of this afternoon, 30th January, 2019, the Court of Appeal has thrown out the appeal.
“Consequently on the above, we urge the Honourable Tribunal to give us a date for resumption of the trial subject to the convenience of the Tribunal, most obliged my Lord”.
The appellate court had in a unanimous decision by a three-man panel led by Justice Abdul Aboki, declined Onnoghen’s request for his trial to be temporarily suspended, pending the determination of an appeal he lodged to challenge the competence of the charge and the procedure adopted by the CCT.
In the appeal he lodged on January 15, the suspended CJN, who had on two occasions, declined to appear before the CCT to enter his plea to the charge, contended that the Umar-led tribunal erred in law when it decided to hear the preliminary objection he filed to quash the charge, alongside a motion the Federal Government filed to secure an order to remove him as both the CJN and chairman of the National Judicial Council (NJC).
Onnoghen insisted that it was wrong for the tribunal to hear and determine the Federal Government’s motion when its jurisdiction to entertain the substantive charge was being challenged.
He, therefore, prayed the appellate court to set-aside the decision of the CCT as contained in a ruling its chairman delivered on January 14.
Meanwhile, before the appeal could be heard, Onnoghen, on January 18, filed a motion wherein he prayed the appellate court to stay further proceedings in the case against him.
Based on the motion, the Appeal Court, on January 24, ordered the Umar-led CCT panel to suspend further proceedings in the matter to enable it to consider Onnoghen’s request.
The order of the court came barely 24 hours after the Federal Government secured an ex-parte order from the tribunal, which gave President Muhammadu Buhari the nod to suspend Onnoghen and swear-in the most senior jurist of the Supreme Court, Justice Tanko Muhammad, as the acting CJN.
At its resumed sitting, last Wednesday, the appellate court vacated its initial order that stopped the CCT from taking further steps in Onnoghen’s trial.
The appellate court held that granting the suspended CJN’s motion would amount to a “fundamental interruption” of a criminal proceeding before the CCT.
It noted that Onnoghen himself had in a judgment he delivered in a case involving a firm owned by former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, Destra Investment Limited, banned the grant of stay of proceeding in criminal matters.
Aboki further recalled that the suspended CJN had in another case that involved the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, identified the CCT as a special court with quasi-criminal jurisdiction.
He maintained that section 306 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, expressly forbade courts from granting orders to stay proceedings in criminal cases.
“We cannot run away from the fact that the CCT which has quasi-criminal jurisdiction does not have an option than to abide and apolitical the criminal laws in all proceedings before it”, Aboki added.
Consequently, the appellate court dismissed Onnoghen’s appeal, stressing that the order from stay of proceedings he requested for could not be granted as a matter of cause.
“An applicant must convince the court that grant of such order will be in the interest of justice”, the court held, saying there was no “special or exceptional circumstance”, to warrant the suspension of the case pending against Onnoghen before the CCT.
“The applicants’ motion for an order for stay of proceeding is hereby refused”, Aboki ruled.
Nevertheless, the appellate court fixed February 4 to hear the substantive appeal the suspended CJN filed to challenge decision of the CCT to hear his preliminary objection alongside the Federal Government’s motion to remove him from office.
It will be recalled that the CCT had last Monday, adjourned Onnoghen’s trial sine-die (indefinitely) to await the outcome of the appellate court’s ruling.
Onnoghen had through his team of lawyers led by Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, contended that his objection and the Federal Government’s motion were mutually exclusive, and as such, could not be heard together.
He argued that the tribunal ought to firstly determine whether or not it has the requisite jurisdiction to handle the charge against him, before it could proceed to hear any other application.
Specifically, Justice Onnoghen faulted the competence of his trial before the CCT on the premise that the Federal Government failed to allow the NJC to investigate the allegations against him, before it proceeded to prefer a criminal charge against him.
Aside the instant appeal, Onnoghen had also lodged another appeal to challenge the ex-parte order the CCT issued for his suspension.
In the four grounds of appeal he filed, last Tuesday, Onnoghen, argued that the CCT erred in law by granting an ex-parte order for his removal, even it had yet to determine whether or not it has the jurisdiction to try him.
He, therefore, applied for, “An order setting aside the order of the tribunal made on the 23rd of January, directing the appellant to step aside as the Chief Justice of Nigeria and a further order that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria takes all necessary measures to swear-in the most senior Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria as Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the National Judicial Council”.
More so, the appellant maintained that “the exercise of powers over the motion ex-parte without first determining the jurisdiction of the tribunal amounted to unlawful exercise of jurisdiction and therefore void”.
The NJC, which is the organ of the judiciary with the statutory mandate to discipline judicial officers, had last Tuesday, handed the suspended CJN seven days to respond to the allegations against him.
The legal body equally gave the same number of days to the Acting CJN, to adduce reasons why disciplinary actions should not be taken against him for presenting himself to President Buhari to be sworn-in to replace Onnoghen.
Likewise, the council forwarded a petition accusing the CCT chairman of engaging in reckless abuse of his judicial powers by granting the ex-parte order that led to Onnoghen’s suspension, to the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC).

News

RSG Cancels ?134BN Secretariat Contract, Orders Refund Of ?20BN Mobilisation … Revalidates Four Projects

Published

4 days ago

October 17, 2025

The Tide

The Rivers State Executive Council has revoked the ?134bn contract awarded to the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) for the renovation, retrofitting, and furnishing of the Rivers State Secretariat Complex by the State of Emergency Administration.

The council directed the immediate refund of the ?20bn mobilization fee already paid to the contractor.

Relatedly, the Council also approved the revalidation of the bidding processes for four contracts, consisting of the renovation of the State Secretariat Complex, construction of reinforced concrete shoreline protection and reclamation works in several riverine communities of Opobo/Nkoro, and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Areas. The projects earlier advertised for which bid documents were cancelled by the Emergency Administration and fees returned to the companies that had earlier purchased them.

The decisions were reached during the State Executive Council meeting held on Thursday at the Government House, Port Harcourt, and presided over by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

Briefing newsmen, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works, Dr. Austin Ezekiel-Hart explained that the contracts had been awarded in a hasty manner without following due process. He said the council, therefore, approved the revalidation of the bidding process for all four contracts that were earlier advertised in national dailies on February 19, 2025.

With the revalidation process now on, Dr. Ezekiel-Hart stated that a fresh bidding will be advertised in newspapers for competent and experienced contractors to prequalify and submit both technical and commercial bids.

He listed the projects to include, “The construction of 4.8km reinforced concrete shoreline protection and reclamation of Queenstown, Epellema, Oloma, and Minima communities in Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area in Rivers State. The construction of 2.5km shoreline protection and reclamation in Ndoni-Onukwu, Isikwu, and Aziazagi communities in Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area.

“The construction of 2.5km shoreline protection and reclamation in Utuechi, Obiofu, Isala, Ani-Eze, and Odugri communities in Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area. The renovation, retrofitting and furnishing of the Rivers State Secretariat Complex,” he added.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Dr. Azibaolanari Uzoma-Nwogu, announced that the council approved the constitution of a committee to develop a proposal for the creation of Computer-Based Test (CBT) Centres and ICT Laboratories across the three senatorial districts of the state.

She explained that the initiative is in line with the Federal Government’s directive that beginning in 2026, all examinations conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) will be computer-based.

The committee, chaired by the Deputy Governor, has the Secretary to the State Government, Permanent Secretaries from the Ministries of Education, Works, Information and Communications and Commissioner for Energy as members. Dr. Uzoma-Nwogu said the move will prepare Rivers youths for a digital future and improve the quality of education across the state.

On issues of employment, the Commissioner for Employment Generation and Economic Empowerment, Dr. Chisom Gbali, said the council reviewed ongoing efforts to create jobs for Rivers youths. He disclosed that his ministry has been directed to develop a framework for job creation and economic empowerment, noting that the government is determined to open up more opportunities for the young population.

“We want to assure Rivers youths that there will be a rising tide of employment and steady waves of economic empowerment,” Dr. Gbali said. “We know our Governor, when he makes a promise, he ensures it is fulfilled.”

On his part, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Communications, Dr. Honour Sirawoo, said council also deliberated extensively on the recent flash floods experienced in some parts of the state. He said the council directed immediate remedial intervention to address the situation, and cautioned residents against the indiscriminate disposal of waste into drainage channels and building on waterways, which worsens flooding.

Dr. Sirawoo further noted that Governor Fubara remains deeply committed to the development of Rivers State and determined to accelerate the pace of governance despite time lost. He added that the administration’s renewed focus and energy will soon place Rivers State firmly back on the path of sustainable growth and progress.

News

Fubara Reassures Rivers People Of Completion Of PH Ring Road Project

Published

4 days ago

October 17, 2025

The Tide

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the completion of the 62.650km Port Harcourt Ring Road project, despite the setbacks that have slowed its progress.

The Governor gave the assurance during an on-site inspection tour of the project on Monday, where he emphasised that the state government remains resolute in its determination to deliver the massive infrastructure for public use.

Addressing journalists at the Eneka Flyover axis of the project, Governor Fubara stated that his visit was to verify the level of compliance and commitment shown by the construction firm, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc.

Governor Fubara noted that discussions with the contractor had been ongoing to ensure that work resumes at full capacity after a period of financial challenges that affected the project’s continuity.

“You are aware that this project was, I won’t say abandoned, but somehow, for lack of funds, the contractor withdrew from the site. We have been discussing with them, and they gave me their word that although we have not finished all the discussions, they have already moved back to site, and I’m here to confirm that.”

The Governor described the Port Harcourt Ring Road project, which traverses six local government areas, as one of the most significant infrastructure undertakings in the state’s history, noting that its completion would not only ease traffic congestion in the capital city but also stimulate economic activities across multiple local government areas.

Governor Fubara reiterated his administration’s resolve to continue prioritising infrastructure development as a foundation for economic growth and social progress.

“I want to make this promise to our good people of Rivers State,” the Governor declared. “This project that we started, by the special grace of God, we are going to complete it. We owe our people a responsibility to deliver on our commitments, and this project will not be an exception,” he added.

News

Use Service Year To Build Capacity, Fubara Urges Corp Members

Published

4 days ago

October 17, 2025

The Tide

The Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has charged the 2025 Batch B, Stream II National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members deployed to the State, to use the NYSC skill acquisition training programme to build capacity.

Governor Fubara gave the charge on Tuesday when he declared closed, the 2025 Batch B Stream II orientation exercise in the State.

Represented by the newly sworn-in Secretary to the State Government and Chairman NYSC State Governing Board, Hon. Benibo Anabraba, Governor Fubara enjoined the Corps members to embrace skill acquisition wholeheartedly in order to elevate themselves as wealth creators and employers of labour.

“Take Rivers State as your home. Be assured of the warmth, hospitality, and accommodating disposition of the good of our people at all times.

“Take the skill acquisition and entrepreneurship development post camp training very seriously and equip yourselves with the capacity to compete favourably in the nation’s huge economic space,” he stressed.

The Governor called on the Corps members to see their mobilization into the NYSC Scheme as a fundamental way to provide humanitarian services.

“Remember that you owe it to yourself, family, and the nation, the responsibility to serve selflessly and honourably,” he admonished.

In his farewell address, the State Coordinator of NYSC, Mr. Moses Oleghe appealed to the Corps members to use the opportunity of the service year to discover their true purpose.

He further encouraged them to embody selfless service and empathy in serving the people.

The colourful ceremony witnessed a vibrant parade.