Unlawful sack: Former CJN Onnoghen to settle out of court with FG

The federal government and Justice Walter Onnoghen, the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, requested that the Court of Appeal, Abuja division, resolve the appeal the appellant filed contesting his dismissal as CJN. The motion was granted yesterday.

The main attorney for the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Dr. Ogwu Onoja, informed the three-judge panel of the Appellate Court during the resumption of the appeal hearing that the two parties to the complaint were already in talks to settle their differences amicably.

The panel was informed by Onoja that the parties had been debating till Wednesday, September 18.

He urged the court to grant them a one-month extension so they could complete the settlement of the matter, expressing hope that the conversation will result in a beneficial outcome.

The lawyer to the Federal Government, Tijani Gazali, did not object to Onoja’s submission, he rather gave support to it and asked the Court to shift the matter forward for a possible amicable settlement.

He said: “My Lords, I wish to humbly confirm the information. It is our position to settle the matter out of court”.

“Justice J. O. Oyewole, who presided over today’s sitting, directed both parties to file terms of settlement for adoption when eventually agreed upon.

“He also ordered them to document the terms of the settlement and file before the adjourned date for the court to adopt as its judgment in the matter.

“He fixed November 4 as the return date for the two parties.”

Former President Muhammadu Buhari had in 2019 removed Justice Onnoghen, as the Chief Justice of Nigeria following a charge levelled against him bordering on false declaration of his assets where the Code of Conduct Tribunal, had found him guilty and removed from office.

Following his removal, Onnoghen was also made to forfeit the undeclared assets to the Federal Government as well as his five bank accounts.