JUST IN:Onnoghen: Industrial court renews restraining order against CCT

The National Industrial Court, Abuja, on Monday ordered the
service of an interim order and hearing notice on the Chairman of
the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Malam Danladi Umar.

The orders follow the suit seeking to restrain the tribunal from
persecuting the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Mr. Walter
Onnoghen.

At the hearing, counsel to the claimant, James Igwe (SAN),
informed the court that originating processes and interim order had
been served on all parties except the tribunal’s chairman and the
Senate President.

Igwe said it was the secretary to the tribunal’s chairman that
received the document and not the chairman personally.

He, however, said the senate president was not served as an
oversight that should be corrected immediately.

The judge, Justice Sanusi Kado, therefore ordered that the
processes and interim order be served on the tribunal’s chairman
through substituted means.

He equally ordered that notice should be placed on the wall of
the tribunal’s office.

He held that hearing notices should be served on all
parties.

He also gave the order that the interim order made on Jan.14
restraining the defendants from further proceeding with the trial
against the CJN should subsist.

The judge adjourned the matter until Jan. 30 for hearing of
motion on notice of the interlocutory injunction in the substantive
suit.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the CJN is facing
a six-count charge before the CCT over an alleged non-declaration
of assets.

NAN further recalls that the trial is based on a petition filed
by a group, the Anti-corruption, Research and Data-based
Initiative.

The claimant in the suit, one Mr Peter Abang, therefore, filed
an ex-parte motion before the court seeking an order to suspend the
trial at the tribunal.

Joined as co-defendants in the suit are Code of Court Bureau,
CCB, CCT chairman, Danladi Umar; Attorney General of the Federation
and The National Judicial Commission.

Others are The Federal Judicial Service Commission, the
Inspector General of Police, the Justice Minister, Abubakar Malami,
Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and National Judicial Council.

NAN reports that Mr Garba Tetengi, Defence Counsel to NJC was
the only defence counsel in court.