Following the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen by President Muhammadu Buhari and replacing him with Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, strong indications emerged Saturday that that the Senate would cut short its break and reconvene on Tuesday. Ahead of the reconvening on the matter by the Senate, the leadership of the National Assembly today met to brainstorm on the rationale behind the suspension of the CJN. Onnoghen It would be recalled that the Senate had on Thursday after the Minimum wage bill passed the first and second reading and referred to the Eight member adhoc Committee headed by the Senate Chief Whip, Senator Olusola Adeyeye, APC, Osun Central adjourned Plenary till February 19 and to return back for further legislative business after the Presidential and National Assembly elections.
According to a source, the Senators will reconvene to consider among others, whether President Mohammadu Buhari has such powers to on his own suspend the CJN without referring to the Senate where a two- thirds majority is required. The Senators when they come back on Tuesday want to invoke section 292(1) of the Constitution of the federal Republic of Nigeria as Amended. According to Section 292 of the Nigerian Constitution, “A judicial officer shall not be removed from his office or appointment before his age of retirement except in the following circumstances – (a) in the case of – (ii) Chief Justice of Nigeria, President of the Court of Appeal, Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Chief Judge of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Grand Kadi of the Sharia Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and President, Customary Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, by the President acting on an address supported by two-thirds majority of the Senate”. Vanguard
Pix: Justice Walter Onnoghen
