CJN Orders Disciplinary Action Against FCT Judge

• The Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the National Judicial Commission, Tanko Muhammad, has ordered the Federal Capital Territory Judicial Service Committee to commence disciplinary action against the judge of the Upper Area Court who issued criminal summons against the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance in Anambra State, Chukwuma Soludo.

The spokesperson of the NJC, Soyi Oye, revealed this on Sunday. Oye said the CJN issued the directive because the Upper Area Court acted outside its jurisdiction, EkohoBlog reports.

His statement reads “The CJN gave the acting CJ of the FCT a directive as the Chairman of the Judicial Service Committee of the FCT to commence disciplinary action against the judge of the Upper Area Court in Abuja who asked Soludo in Anambra to come and declare his assets.”

The acting CJ is expected to report back to the CJN within 21 days.

There were earlier reports that the Upper Area Court Zuba in Abuja had issued a criminal summons against Soludo over a criminal complaint brought before it by one Oliver Bitrus.

Bitrus had alleged “serial abuse of office and breach of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers by the defendant, while he held office as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria between May 29, 2004, and May 29, 2009.

Bitrus alleged that “between the period the defendant held office as a Public Officer he (Soludo) flagrantly breached the Code of Conduct for Public Officer by buying or acquiring an interest in a property known and described as No. 50 Brondesbury Park, London, NW6 7AT, United Kingdom.”