SAN FRANCISCO, Mag 17, (THEWILL) – The Cross River State Government has lost in the suit it instituted to challenge the suspension of former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, as the Supreme Court struck out the case.
In a split decision of six-to-one of a seven-man panel of the court, Justice Olulayode Ariwoola, who prepared the lead majority judgment, held that the Cross River State Government lacked the locus standi to institute the suit on behalf of Onnoghen.
The panel led by Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour also ruled that the Supreme Court was not the appropriate forum to ventilate whatever grievances the state might have in connection with the case.
Justice Ariwoola, therefore, struck out the case without considering its merit on the grounds that the Supreme Court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case.
Ariwoola, who was absent from the Friday’s proceedings, had his judgment read by Justice Paul Galinje, who is not a member of the panel.
But, another member of the panel, Justice Mary Peter-Odilli, dissented from the majority judgment, holding that Cross Rivers State, where Onnoghen hails from has the locus standi to institute the suit.
She also held that the Supreme Court was an appropriate forum to file the suit.
She added that the January 23, 2019 order issued by the Code of Conduct Tribunal on which President Muhamadu Buhari acted on to suspend Onnoghen was wrong as the tribunal had no jurisdiction to entertain the charges instituted the erstwhile CJN in the first place.
She also held that not having been first disciplined by the National Judicial Council (NJC), the CCT lacked jurisdiction to hear the false and non-declaration of assets charges instituted against Onnoghen.
