The National Industrial Court and the Federal High Court all in Abuja have issued orders restraining the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) from trying the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen.
While the National Industrial Court issued its order Friday, the Abuja Federal High Court gave its ruling on Monday just as Mr. Onnoghen’s trial was underway.
The CJN is facing a six-count charge by the CCT for an alleged declaration of assets based on a petition filed by the Anti-corruption, Research and Data-based Initiative.
The group is owned by Denis Aghanya, a former aide of President Muhammadu Buhari while he was the leader of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) before it merged with other parties to form the All Progressives Congress (APC).
But in a swift reaction, one Peter Abang, an indigene of Cross River State had filed an ex-parte motion at the National Industrial Court seeking an order to suspend the trial of the CJN at the CCT.
The court presided over by Sanusi Kado had granted the motion and issued an interim order for the CTT to suspend the trial of Mr. Onnoghen pending the determination of the suit before the court.
It is not, however, known whether the court order which was also published on the court’s website was served on the relevant parties before the sitting of the CTT on Monday.
The order restrained the CCT chairman, Danladi Umar; the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris and the Justice Minister, Abubakar Malami from proceeding with the hearing, pending the determination of the substantive application before the court which will be heard on January 21.
Seven defendants were listed on the court document including Messrs, Malami, Umar, Idris, Senate President, Bukola Saraki, CCT, CCB and National Judicial Council.
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On its part, the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court (FHC) had issued a similar order on Monday afternoon, following separate ex-parte application brought before it.
The order sought to suspend the trial of Mr. Onnoghen, who is the head of the Judiciary arm of the Nigerian state.
It, however, adjourned the hearing on the substantive matter till January 17, after directing service of notice to the parties to appear in court and explain why the CCT trial should not be stopped.
The trial which was to begin on Monday, however, suffered a setback when counsels to the CJN argued that their client was not properly served with the court papers.
The Tribunal Chairman, Justice Danladi Umar, therefore, adjourned the matter till January 22, for hearing.
A record 45 Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), led by Wole Olanipekun, Kanu Agabi, Sebastian Hon among others lined up to defend the CJN in the landmark case.
