The South South Governor’s Forum has scheduled an emergency meeting of the Forum in Abuja on Sunday.
A statement by the Special Adviser, Media Relation’s to the Governor of Bayelsa State, Fidelis Soriwei, stated that the planned arraignment of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen on charges of failure to declare his assets, security of the Niger Delta during and after the election as well as the issue of derivation, would feature for deliberation at the meeting.
Expressing his opinion at the development in the Supreme Court, Governor Dickson said that while he was yet to know the full details surrounding the developments at the Supreme Court concerning the CJN, it is a grave and dangerous escalation, coming a few weeks to the general elections.
He said that the South South Governors would address a press conference after the meeting to convey the position of the zone to the Nigerian public.
Governor Dickson said that all efforts must be on deck to prevent the subversion and desecration of the ethos of democracy in Nigeria as nation moves nearer to the election.
Onnoghen hails from Cross Rivers State, South South Nigeria.
According to reports, the Federal Government will on Monday January 14 arraign the CJN before the Justice Danladi Yakubu led-Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), in Abuja on charges of failures to declare his assets as required by law and for operating Bank Domiciliary Foreign Currency Accounts.
It was learnt that the charge against Justice Onnoghen has already being filed and served on him last Friday at his official residence in Abuja preparatory for his appearance at the tribunal.
The Federal Government among others is accusing the head of Nigeria’s Judiciary of refusal to declare his assets in breach of the provision of the Code of Conduct Bureau Act.
He is also being accused of maintaining Domiciliary foreign currencies account which comprised Dollars Account, Pound Sterling Account and Euro Account which are alleged to be contrary to relevant laws, especially for public office holders.
BusinessDay reports that Onnoghen whose appointment suffered unprecedented delay by President Muhammadu Buhari over undisclosed issues may be the first CJN in Nigeria to be arraigned for criminal charges by the Federal Government.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja
