NJC recommends CJN’s son, others to be appointed as judges

Nepotism has continued to eat deeply into the fabrics of Nigeria judiciary, as the National Judicial Council on Friday recommended Olukayode Ariwoola jnr, son of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola for appointment as a Judge of the Federal High Court.

The National Judicial Council, at its 103rd Meeting presided over by Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, GCON, considered the list of candidates presented by its Interview Committee and at the end of deliberation, recommended the under-listed names of successful candidates as Head of Court and other Judicial Officers for the Federal High Court and the Sharia Courts of Appeal of Kaduna and Kano State.

Below is the full list:

GRAND KADI, KADUNA STATE

Kadi Muhammad Aminu Danjuma

TWENTY-THREE (23) JUDGES, FEDERAL HIGH COURT

Ekerete Udofot Akpan
Hussaini Dadan-Garba
Egbe Raphael Joshua
Anyalewa Onoja-Alapa
Aishatu Auta Ibrahim
Ogazi Friday Nkemakonam
Ogundare Kehinde Olayiwola
Onah Chigozie Sergius
Hauwa Buhari
Ibrahim Ahmad Kala
Hauwa Joeph Yilwa
Amina Aliyu Mohammed
Sharon Tanko Ishaya
Chituru Joy Wigwe-Oreh
Musa Kakaki
Owoeye Alexander Oluseyi
Abiodun Jordan Adeyemi
Agbaje Olufunmilola Adetutu
Salim Olasupo Ibrahim
Dipeolu Deinde Isaac
Ariwoola Olukayode Jnr
Abdullahi Muhammad Dan-Ige
Mashkur Salisu

FOUR (4) KADIS, SHARIA COURT OF APPEAL, KANO STATE

Muhammad Adam Kadem
Salisu Muhammad Isa
Isa Idris Sa’id
Aliyu Muhammad Kani

All recommended candidates are expected to be sworn-in after the approval of the NJC recommendations to the President and their respective State Governors and or confirmation by their State Houses of Assembly, as the case may be.

This is coming after former Chairman of the Nigerian Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, made disturbing revelation about the Nigeria judiciary.

Recall that the fiery human rights activist while addressing members of the Press on Thursday, 15th of June 2023, stated emphatically that judicial independence had been eroded and appointments to the Bench had been politicized.

He narrated that out of the 34 original nominees to the Bench, 23 were sons, daughters, mistresses and acquaintances of the top-ranking politicians.

Odinkalu further admitted that recent appointments to the Bench were largely influenced by a senior member of the Bench (unnamed), and the appointments were made behind series of close-door meetings and back-door handshakes between the judiciary and the Executive

Kalu Idika

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