Centre wants Buhari to reject NJC recommendation on Onnoghen

The Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately reject the National Judicial Council (NJC) recommendation for compulsory retirement, for the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen.

The Executive Director of the centre, Comrade Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi, at press conference on Thursday in Abuja said the alleged crimes committed by the suspended CJN, were too weighty to overlook without letting the law of the country take it cause.

According to him, all citizens must be interested in how public officers, both high and low conduct themselves and institutions which are saddled with the task of disciplining erring public officials should become more proactive.

“In this regard, CHRICED flays the alleged recommendation supposedly made by the NJC to the President for Justice Onnoghen to retire with full benefits, and to take his seat at the Council of State. For us, such a recommendation if ever contemplated is a mockery of the rule of law. With these facts in mind, it is our considered position that the NJC is working towards rewarding lawbreaker, financial impunity and judicial corruption by making this kind of recommendation.

“The proposed steps give the impression that the judiciary as an institution is not prepared to clean up its act in the face of the deep-rooted problem of corruption. CHRICED therefore calls on the President not to accept the NJC recommendation, which would further embolden misconduct in the judiciary.

“Given the weight of the infraction committed, and as admitted by the CJN, the kind of punishment which would serve as deterrence to other judicial officers is nothing less than summary dismissal of Onnoghen. This would send a clear message to the public that the action taken against Onnoghen by the Federal Government is to clean the Augean stable in the judicial arm,” Zikirullahi said.