CJN’s appointment: SAN commends Buhari’s approach

 

• Onnoghen

• Says delay in Onnoghen’s confirmation could result in chaos

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Sebastine Hon has commended President Muhammadu Buhari’s cautious approach to the appointment of a substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).

Hon commended the position taken on the issue by the acting CJN,

Justice Walter Onnoghen and the Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PLACAC), Prof Itse Sagay (SAN).

Justice Onnoghen had, in a statement on Thursday, appealed to those criticising President Buhari over his perceived delay in appointing him (Onnoghen) in substantive capacity to allow the President the free hand to operate.

In a statement yesterday, Hon assured President Buhari that Onnoghen’s appointment in substantive capacity was the best way the President could secure the buy-in of the Judiciary and ensure the success of his various reform initiatives and anti-corruption fight.

Part of the statement reads: “I am personally delighted and I also commend the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, for his timely reaction to the delay in the President forwarding his name to the Senate for confirmation as the substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria.
“Honourable Justice Onnoghen has, from that reaction, proved he is worthy of occupying that high seat. By shrugging off the apparent pressure on him to utter those words, Justice Onnoghen has shown that he is a nationalistic personality and is also ready and willing to shoulder the responsibility of assuming the headship of the nation’s third arm of government.
“I hereby encourage, if not plead, with Mr President to forward Justice Onnoghen’s name to the Senate for confirmation. Whatever reforms the President intends for the Judiciary will not be hindered but will be enhanced if our dear President does this.

“The reason is plain enough: it is when and only when the Judiciary willingly keys into those reforms that the said reforms will see the light of the day. I am dead serious on this!
Finally, I also commend the reaction of the respected Presidential aide, Prof. Itse Sagay, SAN to the issue.

“The learned Professor’s views reflect a most genuine inner mind of a critical stakeholder to clean the Augean Stable of the Judiciary. Prof. Sagay has a very rich resume as a no-nonsense anti-corruption crusader, hence his views on such issues should never be treated lightly.

“However, I also, with humility, ask that he should again look at the watertight procedure spelt out in the Constitution for the appointment and removal from office of judicial officers. Such appointment and removal must involve the National Judicial Council (NJC) and it is only the cooperation rather than the coercion of the NJC that will achieve the desired result.

“Mr President’s anti-graft war is on course, but he needs the two other arms of government, especially the Judiciary, to achieve this. Also, far-reaching reforms like the anti-corruption war are best achieved over time and not necessarily instantaneously.

“Mr President should please send Justice Onnoghen’s name for confirmation as the CJN, to save an avoidable constitutional crisis in the Judiciary,” Hon said.

Sagay has also aired similar view in his recent comments on the issue of the appointment of a substantive CJN.