The Technical Committee set up by the Senate to look into 17 different bills that President Muhammadu Buhari declined assent to grilled the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, on why he advised the President not to sign one of the bills.
The Chairman of the Technical Committee, Senator David Umaru, asked the CJN the reasons why he advised President Buhari not to sign the Judiciary Amendment Bill 2017, Number 22, which seeks to strengthen the judiciary for speedy dispensation of Justice.
According to Umaru: “Your lordship, this committee on behalf of the Senate and by extension the National Assembly want to hear from you directly on why you advised the President refusing assent to the bill.
“We believe that information made available to us via his letter of refusal of assent on account of advice given by your lordship is also available to you.”
But when it was the turn of Onnoghen to respond to Umaru, newsmen, aides and protocol officers to the CJN were ordered to vacate the venue of the meeting.
The meeting lasted for about two hours.
However, efforts by newsmen to know the outcome of the closed session proved abortive as the CJN declined comment.