Buhari breached law in appointing FCT judges-Court

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that President Muhammadu Buhari breached a constitutional provision in the appointment of 11 judges of the FCT High Court.

Justice Inyang Ekwo ruled over the application by a lawyer, Oladimeji Ekemgba, who had contended that the forwarding of the names of the judges recommended by the National Judicial Council to the Senate contravened the provision of 256(2) of the Nigerian Constitution, 1999.

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Ekemgba had also criticized Buhari’s decision to send only 11 names out of the 33 names painstakingly and thoroughly screened/interviewed and recommended by the NJC to the president since April this year as a way to reduce the burden on the court.

Ekemgba had joined as respondents, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Senate of the Federal Republic, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Clerk of the Senate, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, and the National Judicial Council.

The appointed judges are: Abubakar Useni Musa, Edward Okpe, B. Abubakar, M. Francis, Jude Nwabueze, Josephine Enobi, Christopher Opeyemi, Mohammed Idris, Hassan Maryam Aliyu, Fashola Akeem Adebowale and Hamza Muazu.