Buhari orders background checks on judges designate

President Muhammadu Buhari is currently carrying background
checks on Federal High Court and Court of Appeal judges nominated
and forwarded to him by the National Judicial Council last year,
our reporter has learnt.

It was further learnt that the President might have approved the
compulsory retirement of Justices Adeniyi Ademola and Segun Tokode,
both of the Federal High Court as recommended by the council.

A source in the Presidency, who spoke to our correspondent on
Sunday on condition of anonymity, said the two steps were in line
with the present administration’s anti-corruption stance.

He said although the President believed that the NJC would have
done due diligence before putting forward the judges for approval,
there was the need for him to do some checks to ensure that no
mistake was made in their nomination.

It was further learnt that the nation’s security agencies such
as the Department of State Services and the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission were involved in the checks.

The source added that the development did not, in any way, mean
that the President had refused to approve the judges’
appointments.

He stated, “On the appointment of judges into the Federal High
Court and Court of Appeal, the President is looking at that as
recommended by the NJC.

“The NJC obviously has done due diligence on the appointed
judges. There is no question about that. It is expected that they
would have done their duty.

“But giving the President’s emphasis on the war against
corruption, he himself will obviously need to do some checks that
will assure him that no mistake has been made.

“It is not that the President has refused to approve it. He is
looking into the recommendation made before pushing them forward
because the Senate will be involved.”

On the case of the judges recommended for compulsory retirement,
the government official described the issue central to the
council’s decision as one that the President did not take
lightly.

He said the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami
(SAN), would soon make a formal announcement on Buhari’s position
on the matter.

“It is a disciplinary issue relating to corruption. This is a
matter that the President does not take lightly.

“You should expect a statement on the matter from the Attorney
General of the Federation very soon. That is about being
concluded,” the source said.

When contacted on the telephone, the Senior Special Assistant to
the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, directed our
correspondent to Malami who, he said, was in a better position to
answer questions on the two issues.

The AGF however did not answer the calls to his telephone lines
on Sunday.

Also, he had yet to reply a text message sent to him as of the
time of filing this report.

The NJC had, late last year, recommended Justices Ademola and
Tokode, both of the Federal High Court, for compulsory retirement
for alleged misconduct.

According to a statement by NJC’s Director of Information, Mr.
Soji Oye, the council, at its meeting, “under the chairmanship of
the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, sanctioned
Justice Ademola after finding the allegations contained in a
petition sent against him by eight persons under the name of
‘Committee of Anambra State PDP House of Representatives
Members-Elect.’

“The public is hereby informed to disregard the news circulating
on some news media that Hon. Mr. Justice Ademola has voluntarily
retired. The purported voluntary retirement is clearly an
afterthought as Council had taken action before his decision to
forward any voluntary retirement letter.”

Justice Tokode, who was appointed to the Federal High Court
bench in 2015, was accused, in a petition sent by the
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project and Miss Abimbola
Awogboro, of making false claims to the Federal Judicial Service
Commission and the NJC over his appointment qualification.

He was said to have submitted six judgments he claimed to have
personally conducted while practising as a lawyer.

Only one of the judgments was said to be truly conducted by
him.

The submission of six judgments to the FJSC and the NJC was said
to be a pre-requisite for his application for appointment as a
judge.

He was therefore ordered to refund the salaries and allowances
he earned since his “purported appointment to the position of a
judge” to the coffers of the judiciary.

President Muhammadu Buhari is currently carrying background
checks on Federal High Court and Court of Appeal judges nominated
and forwarded to him by the National Judicial Council last year,
our reporter has learnt.

It was further learnt that the President might have approved the
compulsory retirement of Justices Adeniyi Ademola and Segun Tokode,
both of the Federal High Court as recommended by the council.

A source in the Presidency, who spoke to our correspondent on
Sunday on condition of anonymity, said the two steps were in line
with the present administration’s anti-corruption stance.

He said although the President believed that the NJC would have
done due diligence before putting forward the judges for approval,
there was the need for him to do some checks to ensure that no
mistake was made in their nomination.

It was further learnt that the nation’s security agencies such
as the Department of State Services and the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission were involved in the checks.

The source added that the development did not, in any way, mean
that the President had refused to approve the judges’
appointments.

He stated, “On the appointment of judges into the Federal High
Court and Court of Appeal, the President is looking at that as
recommended by the NJC.

“The NJC obviously has done due diligence on the appointed
judges. There is no question about that. It is expected that they
would have done their duty.

“But giving the President’s emphasis on the war against
corruption, he himself will obviously need to do some checks that
will assure him that no mistake has been made.

“It is not that the President has refused to approve it. He is
looking into the recommendation made before pushing them forward
because the Senate will be involved.”

On the case of the judges recommended for compulsory retirement,
the government official described the issue central to the
council’s decision as one that the President did not take
lightly.

He said the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami
(SAN), would soon make a formal announcement on Buhari’s position
on the matter.

“It is a disciplinary issue relating to corruption. This is a
matter that the President does not take lightly.

“You should expect a statement on the matter from the Attorney
General of the Federation very soon. That is about being
concluded,” the source said.

When contacted on the telephone, the Senior Special Assistant to
the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, directed our
correspondent to Malami who, he said, was in a better position to
answer questions on the two issues.

The AGF however did not answer the calls to his telephone lines
on Sunday.

Also, he had yet to reply a text message sent to him as of the
time of filing this report.

The NJC had, late last year, recommended Justices Ademola and
Tokode, both of the Federal High Court, for compulsory retirement
for alleged misconduct.

According to a statement by NJC’s Director of Information, Mr.
Soji Oye, the council, at its meeting, “under the chairmanship of
the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, sanctioned
Justice Ademola after finding the allegations contained in a
petition sent against him by eight persons under the name of
‘Committee of Anambra State PDP House of Representatives
Members-Elect.’

“The public is hereby informed to disregard the news circulating
on some news media that Hon. Mr. Justice Ademola has voluntarily
retired. The purported voluntary retirement is clearly an
afterthought as Council had taken action before his decision to
forward any voluntary retirement letter.”

Justice Tokode, who was appointed to the Federal High Court
bench in 2015, was accused, in a petition sent by the
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project and Miss Abimbola
Awogboro, of making false claims to the Federal Judicial Service
Commission and the NJC over his appointment qualification.

He was said to have submitted six judgments he claimed to have
personally conducted while practising as a lawyer.

Only one of the judgments was said to be truly conducted by
him.

The submission of six judgments to the FJSC and the NJC was said
to be a pre-requisite for his application for appointment as a
judge.

He was therefore ordered to refund the salaries and allowances
he earned since his “purported appointment to the position of a
judge” to the coffers of the judiciary.