Only NJC can exercise disciplinary control over CJN – CLASFON
A group, has asked the executive to withdraw the charges filed against the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen as only the National Judicial Council (NJC) can exercise disciplinary control over him. The Christian Lawyers’ Fellowship of Nigeria (CLASFON) in a statement signed by its president, Arome Moses Okwori also warned that the […]
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen
A group, has asked the executive to withdraw the charges filed against the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen as only the National Judicial Council (NJC) can exercise disciplinary control over him.
The Christian Lawyers’ Fellowship of Nigeria (CLASFON) in a statement signed by its president, Arome Moses Okwori also warned that the move to arraign the CJN would undermine the independence of the judicial arm of government.
Citing the provisions of Section 161 (d) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, CLASFON defines misconduct to mean ‘a breach of the Oath of Allegiance or oath of office of a member or a breach of the provisions of this Constitution or bribery or corruption or false declaration of assets and liabilities or conviction for treason or treasonable felony.’
“The Chief Justice of Nigeria as a judicial officer and a member of the National Judicial Council is amenable to the disciplinary control of the National Judicial Council. (Paragraph 21(b) and (g) of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Nigerian Constitution,” it said.