With the huge elephant of damning comments by Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa that he influenced judgments delivered by his wife and former President, Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, in the room; the National Judicial Council (NJC) proceeded to issue an official statement of its resolutions after its regular meeting, without even a passing mention.<\/p>\n
Recall, however, that one of those who attended the meeting and Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) President, Mr. Yakubu Maikyau SAN, had said in a statement that the NJC at its meeting strongly condemned the senator’s comments. But his statement drew the ire of former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Professor Chidi Odinkalu, who frowned at it and the silence of the NJC.<\/p>\n
https:\/\/everyday.ng\/2023\/06\/njc-condemns-senators-comments-nba-seeks-senator-probe-prosecution-of-former-appeal-court-presidents-husband\/<\/p>\n
The NJC, in its Friday statement by spokesman, Mr. Soji Oye, restricted itself to matters of promotion and discipline of judges, while stopping the switch of high court judges to Customary Courts of Appeal.<\/p>\n
The NJC statement, titled, NJC BARS JUDICIAL OFFICERS FROM SWITCHING FROM HIGH COURT TO CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL; EMPANELS SEVEN COMMITTEES TO INVESTIGATE JUDICIAL OFFICERS; RECOMMENDS APPOINTMENT OF THIRTY-SEVEN (37) JUDICIAL OFFICERS FOR VARIOUS COURTS, reads in full:<\/p>\n
\u2022 NJC bars Judicial Officers from switching from High Court to Customary Court of Appeal;<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 Empanels seven Committees to investigate Judicial Officers;<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 Recommends appointment of Thirty-seven (37) Judicial Officers for various Courts<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0The National Judicial Council, at its 102nd\u00a0Meeting presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman, National Judicial Council, Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, GCON, on 14 and 15 June 2023, came up with a policy barring Judicial Officers from switching henceforth from High Court of Justice to the Customary Court of Appeal and vice versa.<\/strong><\/p>\n The only exception allowed is when a new Customary Court of Appeal is established in a State. Judges who indicate interest to go to the Customary Court of Appeal will be allowed to proceed.<\/strong><\/p>\n Once established, the candidates for the headship of the Court must be drawn from that Court only, even if all the Judges of the Court are junior to their counterparts in other Courts.<\/strong><\/p>\n REPORT OF COMMITTEES<\/strong><\/p>\n Council considered the Reports from various Investigation Committees and the Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committees on petitions written against thirty-three (33) Judicial Officers from the Court of Appeal and State High Courts and agreed with the Committees recommendations to empanel Investigation Committees against seven Judges of different states.<\/strong><\/p>\n Petition against the remaining Judicial Officers were either dismissed for lack of merit, lack of diligent prosecution, withdrawal of the petition, being subjudice and for the subject Judge having retired from service.<\/strong><\/p>\n The dismissed petitions were written against Hon. Justice Mary Peter Odili, Rtd Justice of the Supreme Court, Hon. Justices A. R. Barka, James G. Abundaga, O. O. Olasumbo Goodluck, Ibrahim A. Andetur-Yangsto all of the Court of Appeal, Hon. Justices F. O. Liman, A. R. Mohammed, H. A. A. Dashen, Peter Lifu, F. O. G. Ogunbanjo, A. Lewis Allagoa, D. E. Osiagor all of the Federal High Court;<\/strong><\/p>\n Others are Hon. Justice Theresa O. Diai, Chief Judge, Delta State, Hon. Justices S. B. Belgore, K. N. Ogbonnaya Jude Onwuegbuzie, Edward Okpe of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Hon. Justices Joseph I Acha, Vesty O. Eboreime, both of High Court, Edo State, Hon. Justices Thelma Adanna Achom, Elvis A. Ngene of the Ebonyi State High Court, Hon. Justices A. B. Usman, M. M. Abubakar of Bauchi State High Court, Hon. Justice O. A. Opesanwo of the Lagos State High Court, Justice Oladiran Akintola of Oyo State High Court, Justice Gegele A. Hammed of Kwara State High Court, Justice K. N. Udobong of Akwa-Ibom State High Court, Justice B. C. Iheka, Imo State High Court, Justice M. A. Zandai High Court, Borno State, Justice Mohammed Shinkafi of Zamfara State High Court, Justice R. S. Ladoja of the Kaduna State High Court and Justice M. S. A. Mohammed of the High Court of Niger State.<\/strong><\/p>\n INTERVIEW COMMITTEE<\/strong><\/p>\n Council also considered the report of its Interview Committee and recommended Thirty-seven (37) Judicial Officers for appointment to the President and seven Governors as Justices of the Court of Appeal, Heads of Court and Judges of the High Court and Customary Courts of Appeal.<\/strong><\/p>\n They are as follows:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 NINE (9) JUSTICES, COURT OF APPEAL<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 Justice Asma\u2019u Musa Mainoma<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 Justice Paul Ahmed Bassi<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 Justice Hannatu Azumi Laja-Balogun<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 Justice Binta Fatima Zubair<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 Justice Hadiza Rabiu Shagari<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 Justice Peter Chudi Obiora<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 Justice Okon Efreti Abang<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 Justice Jane Esienanwan Inyang<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 Lateef Adebayo Ganiyu<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 CHIEF JUDGE, KANO STATE HIGH COURT<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 i) Justice Dije Abdu Aboki<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 CHIEF JUDGE, EDO STATE HIGH COURT<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 i) Justice Daniel Iyobosa Okungbowa<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 CHIEF JUDGE, BAYELSA STATE HIGH COURT<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 i) Justice Matilda Abrakasa Ayemieye<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 PRESIDENT, CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL, DELTA STATE<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 i) Justice Catherine Ngozi Ojugbana-Orishedere<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 THREE (3) JUDGES, BENUE STATE HIGH COURT<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 i) Lilian Ngusuur Terseer-Tsumba<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 ii) Patrick Eka Oche<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022iii)\u00a0\u00a0 Ukande Mvendaga Peter<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 FIVE (5) JUDGES, DELTA STATE HIGH COURT<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 i) Ossai Rita Ngozi<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 ii) Aforkeya Obomejero<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022iii)\u00a0\u00a0 Adolor Sunny Onorieukuhakpo<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 iv) Samuel Ifeanyi Okeleke<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 v) Umuko Aboyowa Godwin<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 EIGHT (8) JUDGES, EDO STATE HIGH COURT<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 i) Ovenseri Otamere<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 ii) Obayuwana Osarenren Mathias<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 iii)\u00a0\u00a0 Edoghogho Eboigbe<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 iv) Ojo Maureen Osa<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 v) Bright Eraze Oniha<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 vi) Ehinon Anthony Okoh<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 vii)\u00a0 Godwin Jeff Okundamiya<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022viii) Osayande Ikwuemosi Awawu<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 FOUR (4) JUDGES, KATSINA STATE HIGH COURT<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 i) Nuradeen Abdulmumeen<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 ii) Halima Lawal Bagiwa<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022iii)\u00a0\u00a0 Abdullahi Bara\u2019u Faskari<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 iv) Sanusi Ma\u2019aruf Aminu<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 ONE (1) JUDGE, CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL, BENUE STATE<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 i) Iortyer Vihilun Fidelis<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 TWO (2) JUDGES, CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL, DELTA STATE<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 i) Gbakeji Michael Emakpor<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 ii) Uraih Tracy Patricia Ifeanyi<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 ONE (1) JUDGE, CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL, OGUN APPEAL<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 i) Sofowora Oriyomi Abiodun<\/strong><\/p>\n NOTIFICATION OF RETIREMENTS<\/strong><\/p>\n The notification of retirements of nine Judicial Officers of the Federal and State Courts were also received and noted by the Council.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" With the huge elephant of damning comments by Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa that he influenced judgments delivered by his wife and former President, Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, in the room; the National Judicial Council (NJC) proceeded to issue an official statement of its resolutions after its regular meeting, without even a passing mention. Recall, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":60903,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,7],"tags":[5937,5947,3846],"class_list":["post-64801","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-jobs","category-news","tag-bulkachuwa","tag-customary","tag-promotion"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64801","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=64801"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64801\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=64801"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=64801"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=64801"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}