No fewer than 150 Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SANs, have volunteered to defend the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen, on Monday.
Justice Onnoghen will appear before the Justice Danladi Yakubu led-Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT on Monday.
The Federal Government hads resolve to arraign and prefer criminal charges against the CJN on Monday January 14, 2019 before the CCT in Abuja.
This is due to his alleged failure to declare his assets as required by law and for operating Bank Domiciliary Foreign Currency Accounts.
Constitutional lawyer, Sebastine Hon, SAN told Daily Trust on Saturday that “the number of eminent lawyers that have volunteered to defend the CJN might even be more than 150.”
According to him, the constitutional lawyer described the six-count criminal charge against the CJN “as a deliberate attempt to gag the judiciary.”
The senior lawyer also urged the CJN not to heed to what he termed as an “unholy call” for him to step aside.
He added, “While I know that the Chief Justice of Nigeria does not enjoy immunity from criminal prosecution, I see this move by the Federal Government as dangerously political and tendentious.
“Suddenly, we woke to see a petition leaked to the informal or social media, allegedly received by the Code of Conduct on 9th January, 2019.
“Suddenly, we are told charges have been filed against the CJN. Suddenly the Presidency is reportedly asking him to step aside! Was he interrogated or interviewed and his own reactions obtained?”
DP
