The Supreme Court this Thursday, announced that it will make its ruling known on May 17th in a case brought before it by the Cross Rivers State Government challenging the suspension of Justice Walter Onnoghen as the Chief Justice of Nigeria by the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
After taking arguments from counsels to the concerned parties, a seven-man panel of the court, led by Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour, invited the parties to assemble again in May when the Court would give its ruling.
You may recall that President Muhammadu Buhari had in late January suspended Justice Walter Onnoghen as the Chief Justice of Nigeria on the recommendation of the Code of Conduct Tribunal over failure completely declare his assets as required by law before assuming office. The president’s action has continued to generate reactions from agencies and groups within and outside Nigeria including the UN which described Justice Onnoghen’s suspension as a “violation of international human rights standards.”