NJC applauds Buhari’s acceptance of Onnoghen’s voluntary retirement

The National Judicial Council (NJC) held an emergency meeting on Monday to take formal note of President Muhammad Buhari’s acceptance of the voluntary retirement of Justice Walter Onnoghen, as Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).

In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday night by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity), President Buhari declared that he has accepted the voluntary retirement of Justice Ononghen as CJN, more than two months after he had sent his letter of retirement from service.

According to the statement, President Buhari thanked Justice Onnoghen for his service to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and wished him the best of retirement life.

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Onnoghen announced his retirement on April 5, 2019, following his suspension by the President and subsequent prosecution at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), which convicted him for false declaration of assets and forfeiture of huge sums of money which he failed to declare in his assets declaration form he submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

A statement made available to newsmen in Abuja yesterday after the NJC’s emergency meeting, the Director, Information of the Council, Soji Oye, said the President’s acceptance of Onnoghen’s retirement is in line with the NJC’s recommendation to him (President Buhari) on 3rd of April, 2019.

The NJC spokesman said in the statement that the Council, at the end of its deliberations, thanked President Buhari for the acceptance which was in the best interest of Nigeria.