It has been reported that Justice Walter Onnoghen resigned as the Chief Justice of Nigeria to mitigate the damaging consequences of being removed from office.
His associates were quoted saying that following the recommendation by the National Judicial Council to President Muhammadu Buhari to commit Justice Onnoghen to compulsory retirement, the Bayelsa-born Onnoghen chose a less damaging option by turning in his resignation letter ahead of time.
The suspended Chief Justice is expected to get retirement benefits amounting to N2.5-billion.
As the most senior judge in line following the retirement of Justice Mahmoud Mohammed in 2016, Justice Onnoghen was confirmed as the next CJN in March 2017.
Onnoghen was in a petition by An Anti-Corruption and Research-Based Data Initiative (ARDI), accused of under-declaration of assets which led to him being arraigned before the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
Being the first Chief Justice of Nigeria to be docked, Onnoghen was due for retirement in 2020.