NJC stops Yahaya Bello from appointing wife, relations as Judges

The National Judicial Council, NJC, has stopped governor Yahaya Bello from appointing his wife, Barrister Amina Bello and some of his blood relations as Judges.

Bello had submitted names of lawyers from Kogi State for appointment to serve as Judges for the 10 vacant positions, out of which 80 percent of the names he forwarded to the National Judicial Council were from Ebira speaking tribe in Kogi Central Senatorial District.

Those he appointed which would have been confirmed by the National Judicial Council in line with the provision of NJC are mostly from his clan, a development that was rejected by the NJC upon the discovery of the lopsidedness in his appointment.

They were to serve as Judges and Kadis.

The rejection of Yahaya Bello’s appointment was contained in a statement by the NJC Secretary, Ahmed Gambo Saleh, Esq, in reaction to earlier petition filed by a league of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) from Kogi East informing NJC about Governor Bello’s act of nepotism in appointing the Judges and Kadis.

The statement reads: “I write to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated 10 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, Council do 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.”

The names forwarded by Yahaya Bello include his blood relations, nephews, his wife, Amina Bello and family friends.

Titled “RE: Provisional Short-list Of Candidates Of Ten Judicial Officers Of The High Court Of Justice Shariah Court Of Appeal And Customary Court Of Appeal,” the indigenous Kogi SANs stated that appointment of Judges to superior courts of record was regulated and required provision of basic facilities such as availability of courtrooms/Judges chambers, official cars, residential accommodation as well as equipped library in Judges’ chambers, citing Rules 1-5 of National Judicial Council Revised Guidelines.

In the 12-point issues raised in the letter signed by Yunus Ustaz Usman, Life Bencher for himself and on behalf of 16 other Senior Advocates, the legal luminaries also pointed out that the proposed candidates listed for appointments of judges did not reflect the geographical spread. They noted that the list was lopsided to the disadvantage of other parts of the state.

According to the letter, the candidates listed for customary Court of Appeal were all from Kogi Central and there was no candidate from Kogi East or Kogi West, noting that there were qualified persons from Kogi East and Kogi West that were not selected.

Shortlisted candidates for the Bench:

The list contains the names of the shortlisted candidates for appointment to the 10 (Ten) vacant positions for Judges and Kadis

HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE

1) Badiru Abdulghaniy, Esq.

2) Ezema Beatrice Ada, Esq.

3) Ibrahim Idenyi

4) Amina Yahaya Bello, Esq.

5) Joseph Sunday Ajesola Esq.

6) Dr Mohammed Tanko Esq.

7) Badama Kadiri, Esq.

8) Umaru Medina, Esq.

9) Ibrahim Jubril, Oladimeji, Esq.

10) Ojoma Rachael Haruna, Esq.

11) Zakari Wahab

12) Halimat Onuka

SHARIA COURT OF APPEAL

1) Idris Alhaji Abdullahi, Esq.

2) Abdulwasiu Oladele Salaudeen

3) Muhammad Muhammad Bello, Esq.

4) Mohammed Usman, Agaba, Esq.

5) Okino Isah Saidu, Esq.

6) Abdulaziz Muhammad Abdulmali

7) Ganiyu Adeku, Esq.

8) Yakubu Adavenge Abbas

9) Hassan Hussaini

10) Musa Muhammad Jibreel

11) Hussaini Zakariya Labaran, Esq.

12) Salihu Abdullahi

13) Idrees Usman Abdullahi

14) Shaibu Ridwan Aliyu

CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL

1) Musa Onogo Idris, Esq.

2) Maryann Oziohu, Esq.

3) Shaibu Ozovehe Ebenezer, Esq.

Bello will end his eight years tenure as governor of Kogi State on January, 2024