The Nigerian Judicial Council (NJC) has made a notable decision regarding the appointment of judges to the High Court of Kogi State. Following a legal battle initiated by seven Senior Advocates of Nigeria, including Chief Yunus Ustaz Usman and J.S. Okutepa, Amina Bello, the wife of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, has been removed from the list of nominees.....Read The Full Story Here ▶
The legal challenge, encapsulated in Suit No: FCT/ABJ/CS/05/2024, raised concerns about the fairness and merit of the selection process. Additionally, 17 Senior Advocates from Kogi State previously urged the suspension of new judge appointments until certain criteria, such as geographic representation and provision of necessary facilities, were met.
In response, the NJC has approved the appointment of four individuals: Joseph Sunday Ajesola, Ojoma Rachael Ojoma, Bahamas Kadiri, and Ezema Beatrice Ada. Furthermore, the NJC recommended the appointment of five Kadis and a judge for the Customary Court of Appeal.
Prof Chidi Odinkalu, former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, hailed this decision as a victory against undue influence in the judiciary. He thanked Chief Yunus Ustaz (SAN) and Jibrin (SAN) for their leadership in advocating for a fair and transparent judicial system.