Appeal Court dismisses Onnoghen’s suit against CCT’s judgement

Justice Walter Onnoghen

Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has dismissed a suit filed by former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen, challenging the veracity of the ex-parte order directing him to vacate office and for President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint an acting CJN.

The court on Friday said the decision was taken because the suit had been overtaken by events.

Onnoghen had appealed the ex-parte order by the Chairman of Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar, which ordered him to step aside as CJN pending the determination of his trial.

The three-man bench led by Justice Stephen Adah also highlighted its reservations in the “shady” manner in which proceedings at the CCT went.

Notwithstanding, it held that it could not rule on the tribunal’s judgement given on February 13 as it had no record of the said order.