Breaking: Appeal Court bars CCT from proceeding with CJN Onnoghen’s trial

Breaking: Appeal Court bars CCT from proceeding with CJN Onnoghen’s trial A three-man panel at the Court of Appeal in Abuja has barred the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) from proceeding with hearing in the false assets declaration filed against the chief justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen. The panel, in its judgement on Thursday, January 24, granted the interim order pending ruling on the CJN’s application for stay of proceedings, Channels TV reports. It would be recalled that the trial of the CJN, over the weeks, has created disparity among lawyers and top civil societies in the country over the constitutionality of the CCT's power to try the highest judiciary officer in the court. On Monday, January 14, at the Justice Umar Danladi led CCT with the CJN's absence stalling the court proceeding. But at the resumed hearing on Thursday, the defence counsel, Wole Olanipekun, told the court that the CCT has vowed not to comply with orders from other courts, further emphasising on the issue of jurisdiction raised before the CCT. Countering Olanipekun, Oye Koleosho, who is the counsel to the federal government, said the decision on whether to stay proceedings at the tribunal is at the discretion of the tribunal. Justice Abdul Aboki, after listening to the arguments from both parties, ruled that CCT should stay off the proceeding pending the determination of the appeal. He adjourned the case to January 30.