How Serving And Retired Nigerian Judges Illegally Inserted Names Of Their Children, Relatives In List Of Judges To Be Appointed

A document obtained by SaharaReporters has exposed how serving and retired Nigerian judges are illegally preparing ways for their children and relatives to take over the country’s judicial system in the future.

According to the document put together by Open Bar Initiative, out of the 33 names recently recommended to President Muhammadu Buhari by the National Judiciary Council for appointment as judges in the Federal Capital Territory High Court, only 11 met the criteria set out in the employment guideline of the council.

The NJC had on April 26, 2020 approved the appointment of 33 judges for the FCT High Court.

SaharaReporters gathered that 22 out of the 33 candidates presented to President Buhari made the list only because they were related to serving senior members of the judiciary or close aides and members of the NJC.

Also, states that already have judges in the FCT High Court were reconsidered and given slots while no one was considered qualified for appointment in Ebonyi, a state that has no existing judge.

Section 255 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), pegged qualification for becoming a judge in the High Court of the FCT to a minimum of 10 years qualification as a legal practitioner. 

Also Rule 4 of the NJC appointment of judges’ procedure, indicated only four classes of lawyers, who are qualified to apply and be recommended to be appointed as judges of a high court.

These are legal practitioners in private practice, legal practitioners in public service, who are legal officers, chief registrar of a court, and chief magistrates.

Those listed in the document seen by SaharaReporters among the 33 nominees to be considered as judges by President Buhari but, who are not qualified include Njideka K. Nwosu-Iheme, a Grade 1 Magistrate, who is the daughter of Justice Mary Odili of the Supreme Court and daughter-in-law to Justice Nwosu-Iheme of the Court of Appeal, Agashieze Cyprian Odinaka, a Deputy Director at FCTA whose sister is the Presiding Justice, Court of Appeal in Akure, Ondo State, Fatima Abubakar Aliyu, a judiciary worker, who is the daughter of immediate past President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Bulkachuwa, Kanyip Rosemary Indinya, a senior magistrate at FCT and wife of the President of the National Industrial Court and sister of a member of the National Judicial Council.

Others are Mimi Anne Katsina Alu-Apena, a senior magistrate and daughter of late Kastina Alu, former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Enenche Eleojo, Assistant Director at FCT High Court and Personal Assistant to the Chief Judge, FCT High Court, Madugu Mohammed Alhaji, Josephine Obanor Enobie, Kayode Agunloye, Nwabulu Ngozika Chineze and Abubakar Babashani, who are senior staff of the FCT High Court but have not attained the rank of chief registrar as stipulated by the constitution.

The list also includes one Aliyu Halilu Ahmed, a Deputy Chief Registrar from Adamawa State judiciary, who has not attained the rank of a chief registrar.

The rest are Aminu Muhammad Abdullahi, Nwecheonwu Chinyere Elewe, Ibrahim Mohammed, Sadia Mu’azu Mayana, Aliyu Yunusa Shafa, Mohammed Zubairu, Binta Dogonyaro, Christopher Opeyemi Oba and Hafsat Lawan Abba-Aliyu, all magistrates from the FCT judiciary, who are not up to the rank of a chief magistrate as stipulated in Rule 4 of the NJC appointment of judges procedure.

SaharaReporters also gathered that one Olufola Olufolashade Oshin did not participate in the processes leading up to selection, interview or obtaining a recommendation from a Chief Judge of a state but her name was inserted into the final list transmitted to President Buhari at the instigation of some senior judicial officers believed to be top members of the Supreme Court.

Reacting to the development, Open Bar Initiative said, “The suggestion that judicial service in Nigeria is an inheritance transmitted from parents to children is not supported by the constitution or any other instrument under Nigerian law. 

“This is an abuse of the constitution by those who must nominate judges for an appointment.”

https://theupdates.net/judiciary-how-serving-and-retired-nigerian-judges-illegally-inserted-names-of-their-children-relatives-in-list-of-judges-to-be-appointed-into-judiciary/

Am sure 90% of Nigerians will accept this deal

They should just sell this country and give everybody their share, so we can all leave to different countries.

Even the judiciary! Nothing new.This is the corruption of nepotism that have been with the Nigerian state from antiquity but which have worsened with the APC government.

Hmm

greed is real

Nigeria and Self Interest

sorry! bubu won't do anytin about this discovery, persin that is found of appointing dead people, na living people him no go appoint? whether qualified or not. Anyway, in a country when a weac holder is president, those guys whose names were inserted don try.

As wrong as this trend is, it's nothing new. Politicians and civil servants do it a lot. From the presidency to the universities. The Nigerian system is completely messed up in so many ways. Smh

At last...we will all leave planet Earth.

As per the pandemic, everyone will be fine. Let's remain optimistic and hopeful. At the end of the day, we will come out strong.

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U c in the names der is no APC or PDP is a family affair from North and South

They should just sell this country and give everybody their share, so we can all leave to different countries.

Nigeria: A country where the son of a Nobody cannot be Somebody without knowing Anybody.

One nigeria is absolute joke.
A complete failed country.

Nigeria is in the league of yemen and afghanistan.

Just imagine the people who will be saddled with the responsibilities of interpreting the laws/constitution, and in whose hands millions of lives will be entrusted to decide if to jail, kill, or set free. I pity this country I swear.

So, there is no one to make an example /scape goat of the Mary Odilis who see the judiciary as their sole preserve?

The best bet is just to uninstall this country completely and redownload a new version with the latest anti-virus to boot.

This is even gone worse than a zoo.

Who is surprised??

Na today Nyash dey back??

This is bad

How can you fight corruption when your growth in life is attached to corruption.

Would you bite the fingers that fed you.

Jistice Mary Odili, a wife of former Rivers state governor and a chieftain of PDP will always be in the news for the wrong.

She's the most controversial judge i have over known.

Even before reading through i knew a PDP supreme court judge name would appear. And i am right.

PDP will not shout nepotism because so many of their judges sons, daughters and relations made the list.

I hail thee PDP.

Nigeria. Government of the elite by the elite for the elites. Little wonder why merit don’t work anymore & you’ve to know people that knows people to get appointments or juicy contracts. It’s as sad as that in the country.

Racoon:
Even the judiciary! Nothing new.This is the corruption of nepotism that have been with the Nigerian state from antiquity but which have worsened with the APC government.

You're stupid for mentioning APC. Daughter of odili, PDP God, is there.

KenOne:
Jistice Mary Odili, a wife of former Rivers state governor and a chieftain of PDP will always be in the news for the wrong.

She's the most controversial judge i have over known.

Even before reading through i knew a PDP supreme court judge name would appear. And i am right.

PDP will not shout nepotism because so many of their judges sons, daughters and relations made the list.

I hail thee PDP.

When will people have sense? Couldn't you see there's nothing like PDP or APC on that list? They are all together on this ? That shows you are problem is not PDP or APC but the ruling class and elites.

The earlier your brain processes that, the better for you.

The people paying you peanuts tonsay thrash will never nominate you for this kind offer.

Emancipate urself from mental slavery.

Y'all criticising them would do same thing if you were in their position.Hypicrites!!