NJC halts appointment of Judges, Kadis into Kogi state judiciary
According to the council, this was done to keep the legal system reasonable and fair.
The Kogi State judiciary’s procedure of appointing judges and kadis has been suspended by the National Judicial Council (NJC).
According to the council, this was done to keep the legal system reasonable and fair.
Jibrin Okutepa, Yunus Usman, and four other Senior Advocates of Nigeria filed a lawsuit in Federal High Court Abuja, claiming that Governor Yahaya Bello’s appointment of judges and kadis to the Kogi State Judiciary was influenced by politics and ethnicity.
They had contested the nominations and informed the NJC about the lawsuit in a letter.
They claimed that Amina, Bello’s wife, who was nominated to the High Court, did not meet the necessary qualifications or have any prior experience as a magistrate judge.
The NJC secretary, Mr. Ahmed Saleh, wrote to Okutepa stating that the council suspends appointments that are the subject of litigation.
The letter marked Ref. No. NJC/KOG.HC/22/11/418, read,
“I write to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated 10th January, 2024 on the above subject matter and to inform you that the National Judicial Council being the apex body in the Judiciary understands that respecting the authority of the court is not only a legal obligation but also a fundamental aspect of maintaining a fair and just legal system. As such, the NJC has always been in the forefront of advocating for respect to the rule of law.
“Thus, I wish to inform you that once a suit is instituted against any appointment process, the Council does put on hold the process, pending the determination of the matter. Consequently, the NJC has put on hold the process of appointment of Judges and Kadis for the Kogi State Judiciary, please.”
Jibrin Okutepa has confirmed receipt of the letter.