The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Thursday granted the request of the Federal Government and former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, to settle out of court an appeal challenging his removal from office.
The decision follows information that the two parties have intensified efforts to reach an amicable settlement of all issues in the dispute.
Former President Muhammadu Buhari removed Onnoghen as the Chief Justice of Nigeria in 2019 during the pendency of a charge against him at the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
Onnoghen’s counsel, Dr Ogwu Onoja, SAN, informed the three-member panel of the Appeal Court that the parties were engaged in discussions on a peaceful resolution of the dispute up until Wednesday and expressed optimism that the discussion would bear fruitful results. He appealed for a one-month adjournment for the final settlement of the matter.
Counsel to the federal government, Tijani Gazali, confirmed Onoja’s submission and requested that the matter be shifted for a possible amicable settlement. Justice J. O. Oyewole, presiding over the proceedings, directed them to file terms of settlement for adoption when eventually agreed upon. The terms of settlement must be documented and filed before the adjourned date for the court to adopt as its judgement in the matter.
The case was adjourned until Nov. 4 as the return date for the two parties.
Onnoghen was prosecuted in 2019 by the federal government on false declaration of assets at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), where he was pronounced guilty, removed from office, and made to forfeit the undeclared assets to the federal government. Dissatisfied with the CCT’s judgment, Onnoghen appealed, praying the Court to set aside the judgment that removed him from office and ordered the forfeiture of his five bank accounts.