Onnoghen’s Removal and Acquittal: A Reflection on Power and Consequences
The removal of former Chief Justice of Nigeria Walter Onnoghen in January 2019 remains one of Nigeria’s most debated judicial and political episodes. President Muhammadu Buhari suspended him after an ex parte order from the Code of Conduct Tribunal, while Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad was sworn in as acting CJN. Critics argued that the process bypassed the National Judicial Council, which ordinarily plays a central role in disciplining judicial officers. Onnoghen was later convicted by the tribunal over alleged false asset declaration, but the Court of Appeal discharged and acquitted him in November 2024. The account also recalls later controversies involving key figures in the episode, including allegations and legal proceedings involving former Attorney-General Abubakar Malami, the Senate’s removal of former Code of Conduct Tribunal chairman Danladi Umar, and the 2022 resignation of Tanko Muhammad following allegations raised by Supreme Court justices. The wider lesson is that major decisions made in the exercise of power can have consequences that outlive the moment.
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