I didn’t walk out of NJC meeting, says NBA President Usoro, SAN

The President of Nigerian Bar Association, Paul Usoro (SAN), has
explained why he left the venue of the meeting of the National
Judicial Council on Tuesday.

The NJC had held an emergency meeting in Abuja on Tuesday
(today), but Usoro left the venue of the meeting almost immediately
it started.

The reason for his leaving of the council’s meeting could not be
immediately ascertained.

Usoro, however, told our correspondent that he did not walk out
of the meeting. He said he left the venue after due permission from
the Council to attend to some urgent matters.

“Don’t have the impression that I walked out. I only left the
venue after taking permission,” he said.

Suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen; and Acting
CJN Tanko Mohammed, did not attend the meeting.

A former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Umar
Abdullahi, was elected to preside over the meeting as an interim
chairman.

President Muhammadu Buhari suspended Onnoghen on Friday based on
an ex parte order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal which ordered him
to step aside.

The President swore in Mohammed in his place in acting
capacity.

The action has drawn criticisms from the Nigerian Bar
Association and opposition parties which accused Buhari of eroding
the independence of the judiciary.

The NJC also referred a petition against the CCT chairman,
Danladi Umar, to the Federal Judicial Service Commission.

According to a press release by the NJC’s Director
(Information), Soji Oye, the council took the decisions after
considering four petitions filed at its secretariat.

The statement explained that the petition against Onnoghen was
by Zikhrillahi Ibrahim of Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civil
Education; while two petitions against Acting CJN Mohammed came
from Centre for Justice and Peace Initiative; and also from Olisa
Agbakoba, SAN.

It added that the petition against Umar was authored by the
Centre for Justice and Peace Initiative.

The statement added, “Council referred the petition against Hon.
Danladi Yakubu Umar to the Federal Judicial Service Commission,
which is the appropriate constitutional body empowered to deal with
it.

“In line with its procedure, Council also forwarded the
petitions against Hon. Justices W.S.N. Onnoghen, GCON; and I. T.
Mohammed, CFR, to them for their responses.

“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.

“Hon. Mr. Justice W. S. N. Onnoghen, GCON and Hon. Mr. Justice
I.T. Mohammed, CFR, recused themselves from the meeting.

“Consequently, Council elected Hon. Mr. Justice Umaru Abdullahi,
CON, former President of the Court of Appeal, as Interim Chairman
to preside over the meeting.”

The Council will reconvene on February 11.