The Federal Government has declared war against the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen, asking him to immediately vacate his exalted office as Head of the Nation’s judiciary over alleged sundry asset declaration issues.
The Federal Government will on Monday January 14, 2019 arraign the CJN before the Justice Danladi Yakubu led- Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) in Abuja on charges of failures to declare his assets as required by law and for operating Bank Domiciliary Foreign Currency Accounts.
The charge sighted against Justice Onnoghe was served on him last Friday at his official residence in Abuja preparatory to his appearance at the tribunal.
The Federal Government among others is accusing Nigeria’s Head of the Judiciary of refusal to declare his assets in breach of the provision of the Code of Conduct Bureau Act. He is also being accused of maintaining Domiciliary foreign currencies account which comprised Dollars Account, Pound Sterling Account and Euro Account which are alleged to be contrary to relevant laws, especially for public office holders.
Justice Nnoghen whose appointment suffered unprecedented delay by President Muhammadu Buhari over undisclosed issues may be the first CJN in Nigeria to be arraigned for criminal charges by the Federal Government. The Chief Justice will be put in the dock on Monday as motion on notice is to be filed against him praying the tribunal to order him to vacate office and so as to prevent alleged interference in his arraignment and trial.
