The National Judicial Council has expressed satisfaction with President Muhammadu Buhari’s acceptance of the voluntary retirement of ex-Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen.
It was reported on Sunday Mr Buhari’s acceptance of Mr Onnoghen’s retirement two months after the former chief justice wrote to the president.
Before his retirement, Mr Onnoghen was being tried by the Code of Conduct Tribunal for alleged false assets declaration. He was suspended from office and was later convicted by the tribunal days after he wrote the retirement letter. The tribunal asked that he be sacked from office.
In its reaction to the president’s decision to accept the voluntary retirement instead, the NJC held an “emergency meeting today to take formal note of the acceptance of the voluntary retirement of Hon. Mr. Justice W. S. N. Onnoghen, GCON, as Chief Justice of Nigeria by President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR,” the council’s spokesperson, Soji Oye, said to journalists.
“The president’s acceptance of the retirement is in line with Council’s recommendation to the President on 3rd April, 2019.
“Council at the end of its deliberations, thanked the president for the acceptance which was in the best interest of Nigeria.”
