The Appeal Court in Abuja has rejected the request by suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen to stay proceedings in the charge pending against him before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on assets declaration that has seen him suspended and replaced by a new acting CJN, Tanko.
The Appeal Court panel which was headed by Justice Abdul Aboki, in their ruling, dismissed the application filed by Onnoghen against the CCT in the Appeal Court.
Appeal Court giving their ruling said in view of the provision of Section 306 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), it lacked the power to stay proceedings in criminal cases.
The ruling by the Appeal Court now gives the CCT the nod to go ahead with their proceedings. But there is now a twist to it, as the CCT already gave a go ahead to President Muhammadu Buhari to suspend Onnoghen despite earlier judgement given by Court asking parties to maintain status quo.
The ruling by the Court somehow is coming a little too late both for CCT whose Chairman Umar still have questions to answer and for Onnoghen who already has been suspended…the likes of Umar, Tanko and Onnoghen I stand to be corrected….they have all abused their powers, and should all vacate their seat, so for the Judiciary to redeem itself!