NJC serves seven-day notice on Onnoghen, Muhammad to respond to petitions

The National Judicial Council on Tuesday served embattled Justice Walter Onnoghen, suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria and Justice Tanko Muhammad, Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria a 7-day notice to respond to petitions brought against them.
Soji Oye, Director Information of the council, said this in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja.
Oye said the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Danladi Umar, was also obliged to respond to a petition brought against him.
He said: “The National Judicial Council held an Emergency Meeting today and considered four (4) petitions filed at its Secretariat.
:The petitions are petition against Hon. Mr. Justice W.S.N. Onnoghen, GCON by Zikhrillahi Ibrahim of Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civil Education.
“Petition against Hon. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, CFR by Centre for Justice and Peace Initiative.
“Petition against Hon. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, CFR by Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, OON and “Petition against Hon. Danladi Yakubu Umar, Chairman, Code of Conduct Tribunal by Centre for Justice and Peace Initiative.’’
Soji, however, said the council referred the petition against Umar to the Federal Judicial Service Commission which was the appropriate constitutional body empowered to deal with it.
“In line with its procedure, council forwarded the petitions against Hon. Justices W.S.N. Onnoghen, GCON and I. T. Muhammad, CFR to them for their responses.
He said: “In view of the gravity of the matters involved, council abridged the usual response period from fourteen (14) to seven (7) working days for the Hon. Justices to respond.”
The Council’s Spokesman said both Onnoghen and Muhammad, had recused themselves from the meeting.
It said: “Consequently, council elected Hon. Justice Umaru Abdullahi, CON, former President of the Court of Appeal as Interim Chairman to preside over the meeting.
“Council will reconvene on the 11^th February, 2019.’’