Senate tasks appeal court president-designate to reform judiciary

The Senate through its Committee on Judiciary , Human Rights and Legal Matters on Wednesday admonished  the President designate of the Federal Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban Mensem , to stand up against injustice in the judiciary, if eventually confirmed by the Senate. 

This is as Justice Mensem vowed that if eventually confirmed as the substantive president of the court of appeal, part of the innovations she would bring to bear is making the court Information Communication Technology ( ICT) compliant.

Justice Mensen gave the commitment, when she appeared before the committee for screening as substantive president of the appellate court as recommended by President Muhamnadu Buhari based on  recommendation of the  National Judicial Council (NJC) .

Chairman of the Committee, Senator Micheal Opeyemi Bamidele ( APC /Ekiti Central), said the ethusiasm with which Nigerians greeted her nomination and the respect the Senate had for her nomination by suspending its rule for her expeditious screening would be in vain if eventually confirmed and she fails to fight injustice in the judicial system.

“You must demonstrate the required courageous leadership the judiciary deserves by standing up in fair and fearless manner by the Nigerian people when it comes to justice.

“Your lordship must ensure that justice is not only delivered, but in timely manner because justice delayed is justice denied .

“It should not be business as usual, the very reason the Senate and by extension the National Assembly, is revisiting the budget of the judiciary which is less than one per cent of the N10.509trillion 2020  budget size for the country,” he stated.

He added that the insignificant votes given the judiciary requires urgent and upward review.

Seen. Opeyemi lamented further by stating that the welfare of judicial officers, is nothing to write home about.

According to him, the last time salaries and emoluments of judicial officers were reviewed, was in 2008, the benefits of which have been completely eroded by inflationary trends.

“This sector might go into extinction if the needful is not urgently done because in years to come, Nigerians may no longer be interested in going into the sector,” he warned .

Earlier before the chairman’s closing remarks, virtually all the senators who attended the screening session, described the nominee as a square peg, in a square hole. 

The nominee in her introductory remarks, said she had spent 40 years in the judiciary from 1980 when she was called to the bar and served in the ministry of justice and subsequently, appointed as a court registrar and magistrate, culminating in her appointment as a judge of high court in Plateau state in 1996.

She added that she became judge of the FCT High Court thereafter in 2003, when she transferred her services to the FCT judiciary and was emevated to serve as a justice of the court of appeal.

“I’ve lived the substantial part of my life in the judiciary and I have tremendous passion for its positive transformation, one of which is my intention of making the court of apoeal ICT compliant when confirmed as substantive president.

“I also have a lot of compassion for fellow human beings and a solution provider, and not trouble maker,” she added.