The National Judicial Council (NJC) ended its emergency meeting on Tuesday directing the embattled Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen and the acting CJN, Justice Tanko Mohammed to within seven working days respond to petitions against them.
In a statement by the Director of Information of the NJC, Soji Oye, the council also referred the petition against the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) Chairman, Justice Danladi Yakubu Umar to the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) for action.
According to the statement, the petitions referred to the NJC Secretariat include:
“Petition against Hon. Mr. Justice W.S.N. Onnoghen, GCON by Zikhrillahi Ibrahim of Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civil Education;
“Petition against Hon. Mr. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, CFR by Centre for Justice and Peace Initiative;
“Petition against Hon. Mr. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, CFR by Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, OON; and
“Petition against Hon. Danladi Yakubu Umar, Chairman, Code of Conduct Tribunal by Centre for Justice and Peace Initiative.”
Oye stated that the because the chairman of the NJC (Justice Onnoghen) and his deputy (Justice Mohammed) recused themselves from the meeting, the council elected Hon. Mr. Justice Umaru Abdullahi, former President of the Court of Appeal as Interim Chairman to preside over the meeting.
The meeting has been adjourned to February 11 for further deliberation.
