A Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled January 29 for the hearing of a lawsuit filed by seven Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) against Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State and other parties. The suit alleges that the governor’s appointment of judges in the state violates existing laws.
The seven senior lawyers, who are also from Kogi State, including Yunus Usman, Jibrin Okutepa, Patrick Okolo, Abdullahi Haruna, Reuben Atabo, Shaibu Aruwa, and Johnson Usman, seek a mandatory order preventing the defendants from appointing new judicial officers until strict compliance with the law is ensured.
Assigned to Justice James Omotosho, the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/05/2024, names the National Judicial Council (NJC), Kogi State Judicial Service Commission, Governor of Kogi, and the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in the state as defendants.
Filed on January 11, the suit seeks a declaration that the selection of candidates, including Mrs. Amina Yahaya Bello, the governor’s wife, for consideration as judges, did not adhere to the principles of merit, competence, knowledge of the law, professional expertise, seniority, fairness, equity, and equality.
The lawyers argue that the selection process was influenced by political and ethnic considerations, contrary to NJC Guidelines and Procedural Rules and constitutional provisions. They claim that the shortlisted candidates, including Amina, lacked the required number of judgments for the appointment as judges of superior courts, as stipulated by NJC rules.
In an affidavit, the lawyers allege that the Kogi State Judicial Service Commission was acting at the behest of the governor. They point to a letter from the state’s chief judge, dated October 9, 2023, which provided a provisional shortlist of candidates for the appointment of 10 judicial officers to the High Court, Sharia Court of Appeal, and Customary Court of Appeal.
Among the candidates, the inclusion of Amina Yahaya Bello, who, according to the lawyers, did not meet the necessary qualifications, raised concerns. The NJC had subsequently suspended the judicial appointment process to maintain fairness and justice.
As the court prepares to hear the case, the legal action underscores the ongoing challenges and controversies surrounding judicial appointments in Kogi State.
