A Federal High Court Abuja has rejected the request to stop President Muhammadu Buhari from swearing in Justice Tanko Muhammad as the substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).
President Buhari had on January 25, appointed Justice Muhammad to replace the former CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen who was suspended from office over allegation that he breached the code of conduct for public officers by failing to properly declare his assets as prescribed by the law.
However, a lawyer, Malcom Omirhobo approached the court to with a request to stop the confirmation of Tanko Muhammad as substantive CJN.
He said in his appeal that Justice Mohammed violated the rules of the legal profession by “presenting himself to Buhari for the execution of Onnoghen’s suspension.”
However, the court ruled that “none of the prayers made in the motion ex-parte can be granted in the absence of the defendants”.
The court ordered the applicant to serve the respondents with notice of the request. It then slated May 13 for the hearing of the motion.