NJC suspends appointment of judges, Kadis in Kogi State

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has put on hold the process of appointment of Judges and Kadis for the Kogi State Judiciary.

The action follows a letter written to the council by some Senior Advocates of Nigeria, intimating it on a suit instituted against the purported appointment by Governor Yahaya Bello.

The lawyers, Jibrin Okutepa, SAN, and Yunus Usman, SAN, had in a suit before a Federal High Court, Abuja Division stated that the list of appointed judges and kadis was done with ethnic and political interference.

They alleged that Bello’s wife, Amina, proposed as a High Court judge neither has experience as a magistrate judge nor meets other requirements.

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Ahmed Saleh, Secretary of the council,  in the letter to Okutepa,  on Wednesday stated that once an appointment was subject to litigation, the council suspends such appointment.

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 at the forefront of advocating for respect for the rule of law.

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“Thus, I wish to inform you that once a suit is instituted against any appointment process, the Council does put the process on hold, pending the matter’s determination. Consequently, the NJC has put on hold the process of appointment of Judges and Kadis for the Kogi State Judiciary, please.”

The spokesperson of the council, Adesoji Oye did not pick up calls to his lines and has yet to respond to a message sent to him on the matter.

Okutepa, however, confirmed the letter.