The National Judicial Council (NJC), has labelled the story of its “recommending 14 judges for approval as justices of the Court of Appeal”, which appeared first on Sahara Reporters, as fake News.
The news media ran a story on November 27, titled: “National Judicial Council Recommends 14 Judges for Appointment into Court of Appeal, None from South-East.”
In the story, Sahara Reporters claims it obtained a list which has two categories namely Priority and Reserved Lists with Justice P.A Mahmoud, the wife of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President, as the first name on the Priority list.
“The second name on the list is Justice F. Ojo, an indigene of Kwara State and wife of Mr. Bayo Ojo, a former NBA President and Attorney-General of the Federation. Also on the priority list are Justices I. G. Abundaga from Nasarawa State, M. B. Idris from Niger State, and A. M. Talba from Adamawa State.
“Others are Justices Kadi M. M. Alkali from Adamawa State, A. I. Adenyangtso from Taraba, A. S. Umar and O. Z. Senchi, both from Kebbi, A. M. Lamido from Sokoto, B. B. Aliyu from Zamfara, Ebowei Tobi, son of the late Justice Niki E. Tobi from Delta State and G.O. Kolawole from Osun State.
“Names on the reserved list include Justices O. Itodo (Benue), M. A. Abdul Gafar (Kwara), D. D. Adeck (Nasarawa) D. G. Mann (Plateau) D. G. Goji (Adamawa) and Kadi U. B. Umar (Adamawa). Others are Justices Y. A. Bashir (Taraba), Z. B. Abubakar (Kebbi), I. M. Sani (Kaduna), F. L. Adamu (Kano), I. B. Ahmed (Katsina), M Y Uftsha’u (Zamfara), P. O. Affen (Bayelsa) and O. A. Ipaye (Osun).”
The NJC’s Director of Information, Soji Oye, has shown disapprobation for the reports, urging Nigerians to disregard it.
Mr Oye, said in a Statement, that although there is an ongoing process for appointments of new Judges for the Appeal Court, the media reports is “nothing but a figment of the imagination of the author (s).”
“The attention of the National Judicial Council has been drawn to a purported list of Judges newly appointed to the Court of Appeal being circulated in public space and tragically reported as news item by credible news outlets.
“The Council wishes to dissociate itself completely from the said list as nothing of such emanated from it.
“In the days ahead, the council will speak more on the ongoing process for the appointment of Judges into different Cadre of the Nigerian Judiciary.”
The Senior Special Adviser to Chief Justice of Nigeria, Awassam Bassey, also clarifies that the criteria used in selecting judges are based on the zone to which the vacant position exists.
Apart from being a fake news, the headline of the story is capable of inciting tension and stirring controversies. Many agree that a little more responsibility is expected from media houses especially in volatile areas of the world like Nigeria.
