The National Assembly may convoke a special session next week in response to the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, by President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday.
OrderPaperNG has been reliably informed that the leadership of the federal legislature is considering convening the special to address the “looming constitutional logjam the unilateral decision to take out the CJN from office without following laid down constitutional procedures.”
The leadership of the legislature which is controlled by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is currently consulting with influential members as well as key political figures in the country in a bid to convene parliament on the Onnoghen issue.
The CJN was suspended from office by President Buhari and swore in an acting head of the judicial arm of government, Justice Tanko Mohammed, who is next to Onnoghen in order of seniority at the Supreme Court.
President Buhari based his action on the strength of the order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) which is seeking to try Justice Onnoghen for alleged infractions on the code of conduct laws of the country.
A group had earlier this month petitioned the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) for alleged failure of Justice Onnoghen to comply with the requirements of assets declaration for public officials.
In a swift response to the petition, the federal government arraigned the CJN on January 14th. The accused however declined to appear before the CCT and instead, challenged it’s jurisdiction to try him while the Court of Appeal on January 25 ordered the tribunal to stay action on the trial.
But President Buhari’s action against Justice Onnoghen has effectively ambushed the judicial intervention by the superior court, escalating the widespread nationwide uproar the suspension has sparked since Friday.
A cross section of Nigerians, interest groups and political actors, including the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), leaders of southern Nigeria, the PDP, among others, has condemned the suspension.
President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, in a strongly worded statement described the President’s action as an act of gross misconduct and a coup against democracy while the PDP called off its presidential campaign temporarily.
The National Assembly, OrderPaperNG learnt, is warming up to take a strong position on the matter. Although the Senate is currently on recess, consultations are ongoing to interrupt the break in order for senators to address what many individuals and groups have considered a breach of the constitution by the President.
OrderPaperNG further gathered that there are two options being considered. One is a joint session by both the Senate and House of Representatives, to underscore the gravity of the issue at hand. The other option is the convening of disparate sessions by both chambers, given the challenge of mustering majority of senators back to Abuja.
Many members of the upper chamber are already in the field campaigning for votes for themselves and/or their chosen candidates in the February 16 presidential and national assembly elections.
However, the House of Representatives, which has not adjourned plenary for the impending polls like the Senate, is more inclined to specifically address the Onnoghen issue next week.
A reliable source told this newspaper that the issues of grave constitutional import involved and the fear of widespread social upheavals that may consume the polity are sufficient grounds for the green chamber to convene a special session.
It is not clear if the special session will consider impeachment move on President Buhari although legislators contacted by this newspaper said such possibility cannot be ruled out.
“For a start, the president’s action will be unequivocally condemned and possibly an ultimatum issued for him to reverse the suspension of the CJN or face stringent consequences,” volunteered a member of the body of principal officers of the House who declined to be identified for this story.
Recall that the House under the leadership of then Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, who is now the incumbent governor of Sokoto State, had cut short its yuletide break and convened a special session on January 8, 2012 when the Goodluck Jonathan administration abruptly removed subsidy from petrol on new year’s day.
That historic sitting was one of the defining blows that impaired the Jonathan government till it was eventually voted out from office in the 2015 presidential election.
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