Lawyers alleges favouritism in new judges appointment
.Seek review of the shortlist
As controversy over the appointment of 33 new judges for Federal Capital Territory (FCT), High Court and other Courts rages on, some lawyers have threatened to petition National Assembly to withhold confirmation over an alleged favouritism.
The Daily Times can authoritatively state that the name of daughters and sons of some Justices of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and some retired Chief Judges who made the list gave credence to their allegations of favouritism.
More so, when the names of some who made the list ahead of experienced magistrates that have put in 14 years are the sons and daughters of Justices of appellate Courts who were appointed magistrates four years ago and are now being elevated to the post of judges.
The National Judicial Council (NJC) recently released the name of the following as the newly appointed judges: (i) Muhammad Mustapha Adamu; (ii) Madugu Mohammed Alhaji; (iii) Josephine Obanor Enobie; (iv) Kayode Agunloye; (v) Enenche Eleojo; (vi) Nwabulu Ngozika Chineze; (vii) Abubakar Babashani; (viii) Aminu Muhammad Abdullahi; (ix) Nwecheonwu Chinyere Elewe; (x) Ibrahim Mohammed; (xi) Sadia Mu’azu Mayana; (xii) Mimi Anne Katsina Alu-Apena; (xiii) Kanyip Rosemary Indinya; (xiv) Aliyu Yunusa Shafa; (xv)Mohammed Zubairu; (xvi) Binta Dogonyaro; (xvii) Christopher Opeyemi Oba; (xviii) Adeyemi Ajayi Jadesola; (xix) Abubakar Husseini Musa; (xx) Adelaja Oluyemisi Ikeolupo; (xxi) Mohammed Idris Sani; (xxii) Frances Erhuvwu Messiri; (xxiii) Fatima Abubakar Aliyu; (xxiv) Jude Ogor Onwuegbuzie; (xxv) Hamza Mu’azu; (xxvi) Edward Ajenu E. Okpe; (xxvii) Agashieze Cyprian Odinaka; (xxviii) Fashola Akeem Adebowale; (xxix) Aliyu Halilu Ahmed; (xxx) Hassan Maryam Aliyu; (xxxi) Hafsat Lawan Abba-Aliyu; (xxxii) Olufola Olufolashade Oshin and (xxxiii) Njideka K. Nwosu-Iheme.
The aggrieved lawyers said the appointments was tilted in favour of the sons, daughters and relations of serving and retired justices of appellate Courts and Chief Judges.
They buttressed their arguments with the fact that out of 63 shortlisted candidates as showed by the table below, the NJC abandoned the aptitude test conducted for the candidates and adopted its own criteria at arriving on the shortlist.
But a source knowledgeable in the selection processes of new judges by the National Judicial Council (NJC) said the Council cannot be blamed because it had considered only those nominees that were shortlisted by the FCT Judicial Council as approved by the Chief Judge.
The Chairman of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Bwari chapter, Clement Chukeuemeka, told the Daily Times on phone that the selection process was fair and that the Chief Judge of FCT High Court had done the best in the circumstances.
According to him, some time last year, he and the Chairman of NBA Gwagwalada Chapter went to the Chief Judge of the FCT High Court, Justice Ishaq Bello, and requested that slots be given to the three chapters in the territory to nominate judges.
He said the Chief Judge applauded their request as nice idea, but pointed out that it was difficult as there are several qualified judicial officers being considered for appointment.
However, he admitted that the selection of new judges is not only being politicised but that the appointing authorities are being put under all sort of pressures that resulted in leaving the experience magistrates out.
Former Publicity Secretary NBA Abuja, Mr. Silas Joseph Onu Esq, in his vehement condemnation of the selection process, said that the shortlist is another reminder of everything that is wrong with Nigeria today.
“It is far easier to be a judge without a day’s experience in legal practice if your father or mother was or is a superior Court judge. If you do not have that qualifying privilege, you may be the best practicing lawyer with the passion of being a judge and still remain an applicant until you are frustrated out of that bid”, he said.
According to him, “apart from not meeting the minimum expectation of the Federal Character principle, it is replete with the names of the children of serving and retired Supreme Court Justices, one was even a Chief Justice. The child of retired FCT Chief Judge and other cronies.”
He was referring to Njideka K. Nwosu-Iheme, Mimi Anne Katsina Alu-Apena, and Fatima Abubakar Aliyu, daughters of Justice Mary Peter-Odili of the Supreme Court, Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu, a former CJN and former President of Court of Appeal, Justice Zaniab Buckachuwa respectively who made the list.
Mimi Anne Katsina Alu-Apena and Njideka K. Nwosu -Iheme were appointed magistrates in the FCT on March 20, 2009 and on May 4, 2012 respectively while Fatima Abubakar Aliyu got her appointment with National Judicial Institute in April 2014.
The lawyers were angered that they got elevated ahead of known magistrates who have served for a longer period with years of experience and dedication to duty.
Onu said that the silence of Nigerians, for the fears of losing patronage over these atrocities, will eventually harm the nation as a whole.
On his part, a legal activist and an Abuja based legal practitioner, Hameed Jimoh, urged the NJC to thoroughly investigate the allegations of favouritism.
He added that, if the allegation is true, there is still the opportunity to reverse the action because the appointment has not been confirmed yet.
According to him, “the act of preferential appointment of judges despite their incapability, is likely to be an immoral and unjust act against those who are more deserving of those positions and breach of the trust the Nigerians have in the NJC “.
