Five Years After, Appeal Court to Hear ex-CJN Onnoghen’s Suit Challenging his Removal from Office

Five years after his controversial removal from office, the Court of Appeal is scheduled to hear a suit filed by former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, challenging his 2019 dismissal by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT). The hearing is set for Tuesday, with Justice Onnoghen seeking to overturn the tribunal’s decision on multiple grounds.

The suit, initially filed in 2019, calls for the Court of Appeal to invalidate the CCT’s judgment delivered on April 18, 2019. Onnoghen’s legal team, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Adegboyega Awomolo, argues that the tribunal’s ruling was flawed due to a lack of jurisdiction, alleged bias, and a violation of the right to a fair hearing.

Justice Onnoghen was convicted by the CCT on six counts related to breaches of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers, leading to his immediate removal from office. The tribunal, chaired by Danladi Umar, also stripped Onnoghen of his roles as Chairman of both the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the Federal Judicial Service Commission. Additionally, the tribunal ordered the forfeiture of several of his bank accounts, which the former CJN had failed to declare as required by law.

Despite having been suspended on January 25, 2019, and resigning on April 4 of that year, Onnoghen’s legal battle has persisted. His appeal, registered under the case number CA/ABJ/375 & 376 & 377/2019, contains 16 grounds challenging his conviction. Among these, he asserts that the CCT lacked the authority to preside over his case, as disciplinary matters concerning judicial officers should be handled exclusively by the NJC.

Onnoghen further contends that the CCT Chairman should have recused himself due to perceived bias, which, according to the appeal, tainted the fairness of the proceedings. The former CJN also disputes the CCT’s findings regarding his asset declaration, arguing that any failure to declare was unintentional and that his assets were legally acquired.

The upcoming appeal hearing is expected to revisit these and other points, as Onnoghen seeks not only to clear his name but also to have the orders for his conviction and asset forfeiture overturned.

The Federal Republic of Nigeria remains the sole respondent in the case.