The National Judicial Council (NJC) has suspended indefinitely
the interview for judicial officers into the bench of the Supreme
Court.
The Council’s Committee on Interview for Appointment of Judicial
Officers into the Supreme Courts of Records was to have conduct the
said interview on Tuesday, September 24.
Although no reason was adduced for the suspension, it may not be
unconnected to the exclusive report by Daily Sun on the subject
matter in its August 23 Monday edition.
Nairalaw recalls Daily Sun had exclusively reported that
the Court of Appeal is embroiled in crisis as a result of scheming
over who replaces Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa as president of the
court. She in the next coming months.
The crisis is occasioned by an attempt to stop the next most
senior Justice of the Court, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem from
becoming the next President of the Court of Appeal (PCA), in favour
of Justice Muhammad Garba.
Her name has been sent to the National Judicial Council (NJC)
for promotion to the bench of the Supreme Court.
She was expected to appear for an interview on Tuesday at the
NJC alongside Justice Muhammad Garba, whose name is also on the
list.
Daily Sun however learnt that the decision to promote her to the
Supreme Court is ill-intended as it is laced with ethnic, political
and religious colouration.
Besides, according to sources, the inclusion of Justice Garba’s
name for the interview is a mere gimmick as the main target for the
job is Justice Dongban- Mensem, a Christian from Plateau State, who
is currently the presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, Enugu
division.
According to a document by the National Judicial Council (NJC),
Committee on Interview for Appointment of Judicial Officers into
the Supreme Courts of Records, dated September 17, Justice
Dongban-Mensem and Justice Garba were among the six candidates that
made the list, while six others made the reserve list.
Others are Justice Adamu Jauro, Justice Mohammed L. Garba,
Justice Emmanuel A. Agim, Justice Biobeli A. Georgewill and Justice
Helen M. Ogunwumiju, while on the reserve are Justice Ridam M.
Abdullahi, Justice Tijani Abubakar, Justice Abdu Aboki, Justice
Rita Pemu, Justice C. Oseji and Justice O.K. Oyewole.
Daily Sun was told that Justice Dongban- Mensem was stopped from
becoming a Justice of the Supreme Court many years ago by some
forces within the judiciary.
Justice Muhammad Garba was Chairman of the five member
presidential election petition tribunal that dismissed the petition
filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate,
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, against the re-election of President
Muhammadu Buhari.
Daily Sun learnt that the clandestine plot to scheme out Justice
Dongban-Mensem from becoming the next President of the Court at the
Court of Appeal by some forces, became glaring after the President
of the court, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa withdrew from the
presidential panel as its chairman.