SENATE WITHDRAWS SUPREME COURT SUIT OVER ONNOGHEN’S SUSPENSION

“The Senate has therefore decided to discontinue the case it filed in the Supreme Court. It should be noted that the case has been slated for hearing tomorrow. This decision also affirms the confidence of the Senate in the ability of the NJC to successfully and creditably resolve the issues,” the statement reads.

Penpushing recalled that, the Senate had on January 28 filed a case at the Supreme Court to seek clarification on the suspension of the embattled Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, and in the suit, the Senate approached the court seeking its interpretation on whether President Buhari acted within the provision of the constitution in his suspension of Onnoghen

Similarly, the Senate wanted the apex court to determine whether the action of the President does amount to usurpation of the powers of the Senate as provided for in Section 292 of the constitution, arguing that the section states conditions for removal of a Chief Justice but fails to clarify the difference between temporary removal and permanent removal.

It is however, recalled that, the All Progressives Congress(APC) caucus in the Senate barely a day after the suit was filed, dissociated SELF  from the legal action, following which the Senate Presidenti clarified that it was initiated by “a majority of the leadership” of the chamber.

Penpushing also recalled that President Muhammed Buhari,relying on an order from the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), last Friday suspended the Chief Justice replacing him with another Supreme Court Justice, Tanko Mohammed..