Hon. Justice Beatrice Iliya Petitions NJC, Says Exclusion Of Her Name From List Of Nominees For Gombe CJ Is An Injustice

Honourable Justice Beatrice Iliya has petitioned the National
Judicial Council (NJC) over the alleged exclusion of her name by
the Gombe State Government from among the nominees for the state’s
Chief Judge (CJ).

In a petition addressed to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN),
Ibrahim Muhammad, sighted by Nairalaw, the judge said the
re-submission of names of two judges without her name is in
defiance to the directive of the NJC.

Entitled ‘RE: THE APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF OF GOMBE STATE.
NON-COMPLIANCE WITH THE DIRECTIVES OF THE NATIONAL JUDICIAL COUNCIL
(NJC) BY THE GOMBE STATE JUDICIAL SERVICE COMMISSION
(JSC)’ dated November 13, 2020, the petitioner, among
other things, described it as injustice.

It read in part: “My Lord, I humbly refer to my letter dated
22nd September, 2020 on the inaction of the Gombe State Judicial
Service Commission (JSC) following the directive of the NJC for
re-submission of the nomination for the appointment of substantive
Chief Judge of Gombe State to do the right thing by including my
name as the most senior judge of the Gombe State High Court of
Justice in the list of nominees.

“I have been reliably informed that the JSC has sent a memo to
the NJC re-submitting the names of Hon. Justice Muazu A. Pindiga
and Hon. Justice Joseph Ahmed Awak for the appointment of the Chief
Judge of Gombe State excluding my name as the most senior judge
which is not in compliance with the directive of the NJC following
its meeting on 11th August, 2020 and the duo of Hon. Justice Muazu
A. Pindiga and Hon. Justice Joseph Ahmed Awak are now being invited
for an interview by the NJC Interview Committee to be conducted on
the 23rd November, 2020.

“I wish to state that the current re-nomination made by the JSC
is in defiance to the directive earlier issued by the NJC on this
matter.”

Furthermore, Hon. Justice Beatrice Iliya said seniority has been
the accepted convention in nomination of Chief Judge and there is
no basis for departure in her case.

“My Lord, the consideration of seniority as a factor to be borne
in mind in appointing the substantive Heads of Court, has been the
acceptable convention and in my case, there are no extenuating
circumstances warranting departure from convention by the JSC
except sheer injustice.”

She added that “there are no legal or moral justification
justifications whatsoever for the injustice perpetrated against me
nor for the flagrant disregard of the directive of the NJC under
whatever guise by the Gombe State JSC steered by the Hon.
Attorney-General of the state.”

The judge, therefore, called on “the just and upright
intervention of the NJC to curb the excesses of the JSC and salvage
system of administration of justice in Gombe State while restating
my firm commitment to serve to the best of my ability.”

Honourable Justice Beatrice Iliya has petitioned the National
Judicial Council (NJC) over the alleged exclusion of her name by
the Gombe State Government from among the nominees for the state’s
Chief Judge (CJ).

In a petition addressed to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN),
Ibrahim Muhammad, sighted by Nairalaw, the judge said the
re-submission of names of two judges without her name is in
defiance to the directive of the NJC.

Entitled ‘RE: THE APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF OF GOMBE STATE.
NON-COMPLIANCE WITH THE DIRECTIVES OF THE NATIONAL JUDICIAL COUNCIL
(NJC) BY THE GOMBE STATE JUDICIAL SERVICE COMMISSION
(JSC)’ dated November 13, 2020, the petitioner, among
other things, described it as injustice.

It read in part: “My Lord, I humbly refer to my letter dated
22nd September, 2020 on the inaction of the Gombe State Judicial
Service Commission (JSC) following the directive of the NJC for
re-submission of the nomination for the appointment of substantive
Chief Judge of Gombe State to do the right thing by including my
name as the most senior judge of the Gombe State High Court of
Justice in the list of nominees.

“I have been reliably informed that the JSC has sent a memo to
the NJC re-submitting the names of Hon. Justice Muazu A. Pindiga
and Hon. Justice Joseph Ahmed Awak for the appointment of the Chief
Judge of Gombe State excluding my name as the most senior judge
which is not in compliance with the directive of the NJC following
its meeting on 11th August, 2020 and the duo of Hon. Justice Muazu
A. Pindiga and Hon. Justice Joseph Ahmed Awak are now being invited
for an interview by the NJC Interview Committee to be conducted on
the 23rd November, 2020.

“I wish to state that the current re-nomination made by the JSC
is in defiance to the directive earlier issued by the NJC on this
matter.”

Furthermore, Hon. Justice Beatrice Iliya said seniority has been
the accepted convention in nomination of Chief Judge and there is
no basis for departure in her case.

“My Lord, the consideration of seniority as a factor to be borne
in mind in appointing the substantive Heads of Court, has been the
acceptable convention and in my case, there are no extenuating
circumstances warranting departure from convention by the JSC
except sheer injustice.”

She added that “there are no legal or moral justification
justifications whatsoever for the injustice perpetrated against me
nor for the flagrant disregard of the directive of the NJC under
whatever guise by the Gombe State JSC steered by the Hon.
Attorney-General of the state.”

The judge, therefore, called on “the just and upright
intervention of the NJC to curb the excesses of the JSC and salvage
system of administration of justice in Gombe State while restating
my firm commitment to serve to the best of my ability.”