The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, who was purportedly suspended by President Muhammadu Buhari last Friday, has debunked the rumour gaining traction online that he has resigned.
Onnoghen debunked the rumour in a terse statement issued on Monday by his media aide, Awassam Bassey.
He described the CJN’s rumoured resignation as “fake news circulated by mischief makers.”
“Mischief makers are still circulating this fake news. Once again, no truth in it whatsoever. The Hon CJN, Hon Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen, GCON, has not resigned,” Bassey said.
The embattled CJN has been replaced by President Buhari with the next most senior Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Tanko Mohammed, as Acting CJN.
The resignation rumour came less than 24 hours to the emergency meeting summoned by the National Judicial Council to deliberate on Onnoghen’s suspension and Muhammad’s emergence as the Acting CJN.
The Buhari administration has since Friday, come under scathing and widespread criticism locally and from the international community for being ill-timed, coming in the eve of the imminent general elections.
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