A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has stopped the presidency from arraigning the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN Justice Walter Onnoghen.

Justice N.E Maha of the Federal High Court directed that no steps should be taken in respect of Justice Onnoghen’s trial until January 17 when all parties to the two suits should return to court for the hearing of the plaintiffs’ motion on notice.

The CJN was expected to appear before the Danladi Umar-led Code of Conduct Tribunal on Monday but was absent from the court. The Tribunal adjourned the matter till January 22.

Justice N.E Maha, while ruling on two separate ex parte applications on Monday, ordered parties to maintain status quo till January 17.

The judge directed that the defendants should be served with all the papers filed and they should appear in court at the next hearing.

Incorporated trustees of the Centre for Justice and Peace Initiative filed one of the suits marked FHC/ABJ/CS/27/2019.

Joined as defendants in the suit, are: the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, the Chairman of CCT, Danladi Umar; the National Judicial Council, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, and the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki.

Also, the other suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/28/2019 was filed by the incorporated trustees of the International Association of Students Economists and Management.

The suit has as the defendants, Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Malami; the CCT, the CCB, the Chairman of CCT, Umar; and the Inspector-General of Police, Idris.

The ex parte application in the suit FHC/ABJ/CS/27/2019 was moved by R.A Lawal-Rabana (SAN), before Justice Maha on Monday, while the ex parte application filed in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/28/2019 ?was moved by Mr. Jeph Njikonye.

The applications were filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday while the CCT proceedings where Onnoghen was being expected to be arraigned was ongoing