Nigeria Court Refuses to Remove Top Judge Ahead of Elections

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – A Nigerian Federal High Court declined a government request to order the nation’s chief justice to step down before next month’s elections while he faces allegations of failing to properly declaring his assets.

Justice Danladi Umar told the Code of Conduct Tribunal that only the Senate could force Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen to step aside pending the conclusion of the case, as requested by the prosecutor.

The proceedings were postponed until Jan. 25 to rule on whether the CCT has jurisdiction to try the case, Umar said Tuesday in response to the defense attorney’s objections.

The case against Onnoghen, brought earlier this month, has prompted lawyers and opposition parties to accuse the government of trying to oust him and spark a constitutional crisis before the vote.

Nigeria’s election on Feb. 16 pits 76-year-old President Muhammadu Buhariagainst former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, 72, as the top contenders. Abubakar’s People’s Democratic Party has accused Buhari and his All Progressives Congress of clamping down on dissent and preparing to rig the vote, which they deny.

The Nigerian Bar Association described the decision to go after Onnoghen, who took up the post in March 2017, as an “assault, intimidation and desecration of the judiciary” by government agencies.

Source: Bloomberg Business News