Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has suspended the country’s top judge Walter Onnoghen pending the outcome of his disputed trial on corruption charges, the government has revealed.
He was replaced by justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed as who was sworn in as Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria.
“President @MBuhari suspends the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen and appoints Mr Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad as acting CJN,” presidential aide Bashir Ahmad tweeted.
The announcement comes ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections which will take place on February 16 — a contest in which Onnoghen would rule if any dispute emerged about the outcome, analysts say.