Unlawful sack: FG, ex-CJN Onnoghen to settle out of court

The Court of Appeal, Abuja division, yesterday approved the request of the federal government and the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, to settle the appeal the appellant filed challenging his removal as CJN.

At the resumed hearing in the appeal, the lead counsel to the former CJN, Dr. Ogwu Onoja, told the 3-member panel of justices of the Appellate Court that the two parties in the suit were already having discussions on a peaceful resolution of the dispute.

Onoja told the panel that the parties have been in discussion up until Wednesday, September 18.

He expressed hope that the discussion would end up with a fruitful result and asked the court to give them a one-month adjournment for the final settlement of the matter.

The lawyer to the Federal Government, Tijani Gazali, did not object to Onoja’s submission, he rather gave support to it and asked the Court to shift the matter forward for a possible amicable settlement.

He said: “My Lords, I wish to humbly confirm the information. It is our position to settle the matter out of court”.

“Justice J. O. Oyewole, who presided over today’s sitting, directed both parties to file terms of settlement for adoption when eventually agreed upon.

“He also ordered them to document the terms of the settlement and file before the adjourned date for the court to adopt as its judgment in the matter.

“He fixed November 4 as the return date for the two parties.”

Former President Muhammadu Buhari had in 2019 removed Justice Onnoghen, as the Chief Justice of Nigeria following a charge levelled against him bordering on false declaration of his assets where the Code of Conduct Tribunal, had found him guilty and removed from office.

Following his removal, Onnoghen was also made to forfeit the undeclared assets to the Federal Government as well as his five bank accounts.