The Court of Appeal in Abuja has approved the request of both the Federal Government and former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Samuel Nkanu Walter Onnoghen, to settle out of court an appeal concerning Onnoghen’s removal as CJN.
The court’s decision follows indications that both parties are working towards an amicable resolution. Onnoghen, who was removed from office by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 during ongoing proceedings at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, is seeking to overturn this decision.
On Thursday, Dr. Ogwu James Onoja, lead counsel for Onnoghen, informed the three-judge panel that discussions are ongoing and have been productive, leading to a request for a one-month adjournment to finalize the settlement.
Tijani Gazali, representing the federal government, confirmed this position and supported the move for a delay to facilitate an out-of-court settlement.
Justice J.O. Oyewole, who presided over the proceedings, instructed the parties to document and file the terms of their settlement before the next court date, set for November 4. The court will review and adopt these terms as part of its judgment.
Onnoghen had been convicted in 2019 by the Code of Conduct Tribunal for false asset declaration and was subsequently removed from office, with his undeclared assets forfeited to the federal government. He is appealing to have this judgment overturned. On the day of the proceedings, Onnoghen was not present in court.
