Saturday, October 12, 2024
spot_imgspot_imgspot_imgspot_img
HomeJudiciaryOnnoghen: Decision to suspend, remove judge should be by independent authority —UN...

Onnoghen: Decision to suspend, remove judge should be by independent authority —UN –

…Says Onnoghen’s Suspension Breaches Human Rights

The United Nations has condemned the suspension of Nigeria’s chief justice by President Muhammadu Buhari, saying it broke international human rights standards on independence of the judiciary and the separation of powers.

“International human rights standards provide that judges may be dismissed only on serious grounds of misconduct or incompetence,” said Diego Garcia-Sayan, the U.N. special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers.

Buhari, who was a military ruler in the 1980s and was voted into office in 2015, is hoping to win a new term in a presidential election scheduled to take place on Saturday.

”Any decision to suspend or remove a judge from office should be fair and should be taken by an independent authority such as a judicial council or a court”.

The chief justice could preside over any dispute over the election result. Nigeria’s judiciary has helped resolve electoral disputes in past votes, some of which have been marred by violence and vote rigging.

“Any decision to suspend or remove a judge from office should be fair and should be taken by an independent authority such as a judicial council or a court.’‘

Garcia-Sayan, who is mandated by the U.N. Human Rights Council to investigate legal and judicial independence, said dismissing judges without following legal procedures or offering a chance to contest the decision was incompatible with the independence of the judiciary.

Legal battles
Buhari suspended Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen on Jan. 25 following an order by a tribunal on public officials’ conduct and replaced him with Ibrahim Tanko Mohammad.

But four courts superior to the tribunal had already ordered a stay of proceedings and the tribunal had previously said it lacked jurisdiction over cases involving judicial officers, Garcia-Sayan said.

The U.N. statement said some of the judges and the defence lawyers involved in Onnoghen’s case had been subject to serious threats, pressures and interference.

https://thenigerialawyer.com/onnoghen-decision-to-suspend-remove-judge-should-be-by-independent-authority-un/

RELATED ARTICLES

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

- Advertisment -
Google search engine

Most Popular

Recent Comments

sildenafil generic australia on Abandoned IDP Camp Discovered In Kaduna
Daniel Grace on WORLD DOWN SYNDROME DAY
Danjuma Saddiq on THE CONSPIRACY IN SOKOTO
Yakkon Damaryam on The War against Glaucoma
Shehu Danbaki on IMG-20181125-WA0070
Seth Yamusa on Hon Danjuma Peter Averik
Ibraheem Awowole on MEET OUR PATHFINDER FOR OSUN 2018
Amb. Hoom'Suk. on Sarauniya Beauty Pageant 2017