The acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, on Thursday dissociated himself from “threats” and “ultimatum” being issued by various interest groups to President Muhammadu Buhari over the delay in the appointment of a substantive CJN.

Many had alleged that the refusal of the President to forward Onnoghen’s name to the Senate for confirmation was a calculated attempt to deny a person from the South the opportunity of attaining the coveted position of the CJN.
 
But while commending Nigerians for showing interest in the appointment of the substantive CJN to oversee the affairs of the judiciary, Justice Onnoghen said the President “does not need any threat or ultimatum to perform his constitutional duties.”

He said in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Awassam Bassey, that the President should be given a free hand to perform his constitutional duties concerning the appointment of a substantive CJN.

The statement read in part, “The Honourable acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, His Lordship, the Hon. Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen, CFR, FNJI, wishes to appeal to Nigerians to allow Mr. President, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, a free hand to perform his constitutional duties concerning the appointment of a substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria.

“Honourable Justice Onnoghen believes the President does not need any threat or ultimatum to perform his constitutional duties and therefore dissociates himself from those individuals and groups making such demands on the president.

“However, the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria and the Nigerian judiciary sincerely appreciate the interest of Nigerians towards the appointment of a substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria to oversee the affairs of the judiciary as the third arm of government, but believes that issuing an ultimatum to Mr. President appears to be going too far and smacks of disrespect for the exalted office of the President.”

 The three months allowed by the constitution for Onnoghen to act as CJN expires on February 10.

The alleged refusal by the President to forward Onnoghen’s name to the Senate for confirmation as the substantive CJN in line with constitutional provisions has sparked speculations from various quarters that the Presidency is not interested appointing him as the substantive CJN.

Some lawyers and other Nigerians, including the caucus of senators from Cross River State, the acting CJN’s home state, have called for the appointment of Onnoghen in substantive capacity.