Respite may have come the way of the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen as the Federal Government has finally accepted the notice of retirement of the former chief law officer with a decision to pay him his full entitlement. This is coming against the backdrop of recent overtures being made by the presidency to the retired jurist, urging him to be of assistance to the All Progressives Congress-led government in resolving the election cases the party has in various courts in the land.
A credible judiciary source who pleaded anonymity told Daily Independent that when the Presidency sought the presence of the retired jurist in Abuja, especially after APC lost Zamfara wholesale to the PDP, family members told officials that Onnoghen was in the village in Cross River State since he has no house in Abuja.
The source said presidency officials held two meetings with the family members of the retired jurist where they sought his help over these cases and also agreed to accept his notice of retirement and also give him all his entitlements.
It would be recalled that the NJC had recommended Onnoghen’s compulsory retirement based on a petition brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against him “alleging financial impropriety and infidelity to the constitution”.
Following NJC’s recommendation, the president is said to have sought legal advice on whether or not the council’s conclusions on Onnoghen amounted to an indictment. He also sought advice on whether he should accept NJC’s soft-landing decision to retire Justice Onnoghen with full benefits.
While the government reined in the EFCC from proceeding with a separate charge in court against the former CJN, it pursued its case against him at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) which, on Thursday, April 18 resulted in a guilty verdict against the man.
Monies found in the affected bank accounts were confiscated and forfeited to the Federal Government with a 10 years ban placed on him from holding public office.
Recall that President Buhari had suspended Onnoghen as CJN on Friday, January 25 based on an order of the CCT shortly after he was arraigned before the tribunal.
