Onnoghen, Tanko face NJC probe panel March 5 | Nairalaw

The suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen,
and the acting CJN, Tanko Muhammad will on March 5 face a five-man
probe panel constituted by the National Judicial Council, NJC and
headed by Justice Sunday Akinola Akintan, a retired Justice of the
Supreme Court of Nigeria, to defend themselves against allegations
of fraud and misconduct filed against them.,Sun reports

While Justice Onnoghen will be answering questions on charges
leveled by the Federal Government through the office of Minister of
Justice and Attorney General of the Federation as well as another
by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Justice
Tanko Muhammad will also respond to queries based on the petition
filed against him by a former President of the Nigerian Bar
Association, NBA, Olisa Agbakoba, SAN and another by the Action
People’s Party (APP).

Sun gathered that the two most senior judicial officers may have
it tough on the scheduled date before the probe panel because of
the antecedents of Justice Akintan. Born on December 15, 1938,
Justice Akintan is from Idanre in Ondo state. He was also in the
five-man election tribunal panel headed by Justice Joseph Olakunle
Orojo that reversed the controversial victory of Chief Akin
Omoboriowo in the 1983 governorship election in Ondo state in
favour of Chief Michael Adekunle Ajasin. The judgement was upheld
up to the Supreme Court.

A highly placed source in NJC told Saturday Sun that “all
logistics and arrangements have been put in place for the five-man
committee to start their sitting at the Supreme Court complex here
in Abuja on Tuesday March 5 and the respected Justice Akintan has
equally given his commitment and the preparedness of members of his
committee to handle the assignment expeditiously.”

The National Judicial Council (NJC) had two weeks ago
constituted the five-man committee to investigate the various
petitions against the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN),
Walter Onnoghen, and the acting CJN, Tanko Muhammad. The panel
according to the NJC’s Information Director, Soji Oye, is, “To work
expeditiously, determine all the petitions and responses and report
to Council for a final decision”.

“In continuation of its emergency meeting, the National Judicial
Council accepted the result of the preliminary assessment of the
petitions against Justice W. S. N. Onnoghen, and Justice I. T.
Muhammad, that the petitions were worthy of further investigation
and should not be terminated under Rule 17 of the Judicial
Discipline Regulations of the Council. Consequently, the council
constituted a five-member Investigation Committee pursuant to Rule
20 (1) of the Judicial Discipline Regulations under the
Chairmanship of Hon. Mr. Justice S. A. Akintan, CON, a retired
Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria”, the statement read in
part.