The Court of Appeal in Abuja has approved a proposal by the Federal Government to pursue an out-of-court settlement with former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, who is challenging his premature removal from office in 2019.
A three-member panel of the appellate court, led by Justice Joseph Oyewole, granted both parties until November 19, 2024, to finalize the settlement terms, which may be adopted as the court’s judgment in the ongoing dispute.
Justice Onnoghen, the 21st CJN, was removed from office by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) in 2019 after being convicted of failing to declare his assets as a public official. The tribunal, chaired by Danladi Umar, also ordered the forfeiture of five of Onnoghen’s bank accounts. Following his removal, Onnoghen promptly filed an appeal, which was only listed for hearing this year.
During the hearing on Thursday, Onnoghen’s counsel, Dr. Ogwu Onoja, informed the court that discussions between the parties had been ongoing, with hopes of reaching an amicable resolution. He requested a one-month adjournment to finalize the settlement.
The Federal Government’s counsel, Tijani Gazali (SAN), did not oppose the request and confirmed the government’s willingness to settle the matter outside the court. Gazali supported the request for an adjournment to conclude the negotiations.
In response, Justice Oyewole directed both parties to document and file the agreed terms of settlement before the court’s next session. The court will review the settlement on November 19, 2024.
Justice Onnoghen’s removal, which took place under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, followed charges of false asset declaration by the CCT.
