News

Commission Shortlists 29 For Supreme Court Job, Shuns SANs [Full List By Region]

Published

2 years ago

June 27, 2022

The Federal Judicial Service Commission may have again excluded lawyers, including Senior Advocates of Nigeria, from its ongoing recruitment process to fill six Supreme Court vacancies, The PUNCH’s investigation has revealed.

A total of 23 lawyers, including eight SANs, applied for the position.

According to documents obtained by our correspondent on Saturday, only judges of the Court of Appeal made the provisional shortlist, despite that the position was open to legal practitioners with at least 15 years post-call experience, as stipulated by Section 231(3) of the 1999 constitution (as amended).

One of the documents showed that 29 judges of the Court of Appeal, drawn from five geopolitical zones, made the list. The North-Central had five; North-West, five; South-South, five; South-West, five while the South-East had the highest, with nine candidates.

As in the obtained document by The PUNCH, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Tanko Muhammad, who also serves as Chairman of the FJSC, requested the nomination of suitable candidates for consideration “to fill six present and potential vacancies at the Supreme Court” in a January 19, 2022 letter to critical stakeholders, including the Nigerian Bar Association.

Meanwhile, in response to the CJN’s request, the NBA subsequently forwarded the names of the 23 lawyers who expressed interest in being called to the bench of the apex court to the FJSC for consideration.

The applicants from the bar included Chief Anthony Idigbe (SAN); Mrs Joy Okungbowa (SAN); Mrs Miannaya Essien (SAN); Mr Chukwugekwu Ezenwa (SAN); Mr Itoyah Otaru (SAN); Mr Edwin Obiorah (SAN); Mr Abugu Oromafunu (SAN) and Mr Mahmud Adesina (SAN).

Others were Mr Ogbemudia Omoregie; Mr Stanley Princewill; Mr Udochukwu Ezeani; Mr Ayoola Akande; Mr Kadir Temim; Mr Ujah Oyiwona; Mr Omokhuwa Giwa; Mr Achara Ezekwesiri; Mr Adolor Onorieukuhakpo; Mr Ademola Alabi; Mr Nuraddeen Ayagi; Mr Salisu Shuaibu; Mr Enya Nwocha; Mr Ademi-Akpeto Awolowo and Mr Adelekan Ajayi.

However, in a latest development, another letter, dated June 13, by the Chairman of the NBA Judiciary Committee, Dr Babatunde Ajibade (SAN), to his colleagues showed that only judges of the Court of Appeal were shortlisted while all the lawyers were sidelined, which is a continuation of the tradition of elevating only Appeal Court judges to the apex court.

From the North-Central, the names of the judges who made the provisional shortlist include Justices Jummai Sankey, Stephen Adah, Sa’idu Hussain, Ridwan Abdullahi and Mohammed Idris.

In the North-West, the shortlisted judges include Justices Ali Gumel, Tani Hassan, Mohammed Shuaibu, Jamilu Tukur and Balkisu Aliyu.

From the South-East, the successful applicants are Justices Uzoamaka Ndukwe-Anyanwu, Chidiebere Uwa, Chioma Nwosu-Iheme, Theresa Orji-Abadua, Obande Ogbuinya, Uchechukwu Onyemenam, Onyekachi Otisi, Ugochukwu Ogakwu and Kenneth Amadi.

In the South-South geopolitical zone, Justices Moore Adumein, Biobele Georgewill, Frederick Oho, Abimbola Obaseki-Adejumo and Ebiowei Tobi made the list.

In the South-West, Justices Oyebisi Omoleye, Tunde Omotoye, Habeeb Abiru, Peter Olabisi Ige and Joseph Olubunmi Kayode Oyewole made the list.

The letter asked lawyers who had comments and/or reservations over their suitability or otherwise to send them to the association’s national secretariat no later than Monday, June 27, 2022.

‘NBA’ll ask questions’

In response to the development and the fact that no lawyer made the provisional list again, the NBA’s National Publicity Secretary, Dr Rapulu Nduka, told our correspondent on Saturday that it was unfortunate that lawyers were asked to indicate interest but none were shortlisted.

He added, “We intend to ask more questions on why no lawyer was shortlisted, because we don’t want to speculate. Prior to this time, it’s been for judges to rise through the cadre to the Supreme Court bench and there have been arguments either way.

“The constitution does not say that only judges from the Court of Appeal should go to the Supreme Court. The constitution says once you have 15 years post-call experience, you are qualified to be a Supreme Court judge, but when you look at the convention; the way things are being done, there may be reasons why this has not been done all this while.

“The other side to it is that lawyers who come in from practice are most times people who have shown themselves to be good practitioners. That would also inject some balance into the system. Definitely, somebody who is in the field of practice will see things from another perspective.

“The bottom line is that we want to ask more questions to know why that happened. Like I said, I don’t want to speculate.”

Nduka expressed hope that lawyers would someday be called to the Supreme Court bench or that of the Appeal Court, given the balance it would create.

PUNCH

News

Nigerian Emerges First Black Woman To Bag PhD In Robotics At Michigan Varsity

Published

10 hours ago

May 8, 2024

Editor

A Nigerian woman, Oluwami Dosunmu-Ogunbi, has made history as the first black woman to bag a PhD in Robotics at the University of Michigan in the United States.

Speaking at the university’s College of Engineering convocation, Dosunmu-Ogunbi, a daughter of Nigerian immigrants, spoke on the support she received in realising her aspirations.

She said, “I do not stand here on my own two feet alone. None of us got here by our individual merit alone, whether it be teacher, friends, family, mentors, or role models, we each have one or multiple people to whom we are grateful for making this moment possible.”

She added that she wants to be remembered as the University of Michigan’s first black woman to get a PhD in Robotics and she wants to use her knowledge in engineering to improve the lives of others.

She added, “A Michigan Engineer is one who does not just provide scientific and technological leadership, but is also one who is intellectually curious, socially conscious, creates collaborative solutions to societal problems, and promotes an inclusive and innovative community of service for the common good.

“We each have a solemn duty to make positive contributions to the world. Well, my reasons for becoming an engineer were initially frivolous, but they eventually moved into something more meaningful. I want to have a positive impact on the world.”

The University of Michigan Robotics Department website describes Dosunmu-Ogunbi’s journey as one shared by many PhD students who initially lack a clear vision for their final goals.

It added that Dosunmu-Ogunbi has been an active community builder in robotics, earning an MLK Spirit Award from the College of Engineering for mentoring and inspiration as well as being named an outreach ambassador by Robotics for three years, 2021–2023.

The Department also disclosed that she was named a runner-up in the
College of Engineering’s three–minute thesis competition and has been inducted into the Bouchet Society, which recognises outstanding scholarly achievement and promotes diversity in graduate education and the professoriate.

Dosunmu-Ogunbi is currently interviewing for faculty positions, the department revealed.

News

Delta Bloodbath: Relief As Army Withdraws Soldiers From Okuama Community

Published

10 hours ago

May 8, 2024

Editor

Soldiers of the Nigerian Army who have been laying siege on the Okuama community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State since March 14, 2024, following the killing of 17 army officers and soldiers on a peace mission, have been pulled out from the community.

Local sources from Akugbene and Okoloba communities in Bomadi Local Government Area told newsmen on Wednesday that “the military troops were sighted suddenly pulling out of Okuama community on Tuesday, May 7, 2024.”

Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, while confirming the troops withdrawal from Okuama community, lauded President Bola Tinubu and the military high command for their interventions.

Oborevwori, at a media briefing, said that with the withdrawal of the troops, the people of Okuama could now safely return to their homes and begin the process of reintegration and rebuilding their homes and community.

The governor said, “My dear good people of Delta State, I have the pleasure to announce to you that, upon many deliberations and collaborations between the state government and the military leadership, the Nigerian Army has agreed to withdraw its officers and men from Okuama.

“I spoke with the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, on Monday, 6th of May, and as of today, 8th of May, 2024, the military has withdrawn from Okuama.

“With this development, the people of Okuama can now safely return to their homes and begin the process of reintegration and rebuilding their homes.”

Although Oberevwori had earlier appealed to indigenes and farmers to move into a rehabilitation camp being set up for Internally Displaced Persons by the state government “for proper welfare as a first step towards their resettlement to their community,” Okuama leaders had reportedly expressed reluctance to yield to the governor’s call regarding IDPs.

The Chairman of the State Government Committee to manage the Ewu IDP Camp, Mr. Abraham Ogbodo, who affirmed that the governor had already released N10 million to the Committee to ease the take-off of the Camp site at Ewu Grammar School lamented the noticeable lack of willingness by the Okuama indigenes to move into the IDP camp despite the efforts being put in place.

News

Activists To Protest Reporter’s Detention In Abuja Thursday

Published

10 hours ago

May 8, 2024

Editor

Protesters have vowed to storm the headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, on Thursday, over the prolonged detention of a reporter with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism, Daniel Ojukwu.

On Wednesday, flyers circulating on social media shared by activists, journalists and other Nigerians called people to “join us for a peaceful protest at the police headquarters Abuja on Thursday by 9am”.

Former presidential candidate and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, also shared the flyer on X which had the reporter’s image, captioning it “An end to #CybercrimeAct2015Now. Let’s all be there at 9 am tomorrow (Thursday).”

Human rights group, the Take It Back Movement, also posted on X, “We will be here tomorrow at 9 am, prompt! Join us. #FreeDanielOjukwu.”

The group’s coordinator, Juwon Sanyaolu, further confirmed to our correspondent in an interview, “We are rallying all our members to participate in the protest. This is democracy and the police are not bigger than the law.”

A lawyer and activist, Deji Adeyanju, also wrote on X, “The protest at the Force Headquarters will also be an opportunity to protest against cybercrime levy.”

Ojukwu was picked up Wednesday, May 1, 2024, by the police on the streets of Lagos and was transferred to the Nigeria Police Force-National Cyber Crime Centre in Abuja on Sunday.

Widespread condemnations have trailed the journalist’s abduction even as the police maintain that a petition was filed against the journalist but have not given details.

The President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Eze Anaba, condemned the reporter’s abduction.

“The police cannot detain somebody for seven days under any law in Nigeria as we speak,” he had told The PUNCH on Tuesday.

FIJ on Monday reported that a Senior Advocate of Nigeria was behind the petition that led to the abduction of Ojukwu by the police.

According to the media house, the petition is in relation to FIJ’s coverage of alleged financial mismanagement in the office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire.

In one of its investigative pieces on the office, FIJ had reported how a sum of N147.1m reportedly meant for the building of classrooms and a skill acquisition centre was allegedly sent to the account of a restaurant.

But in a statement on its X handle on Monday, the OSSAP-SDGs denied the allegation, describing it as “false from the onset.”

The statement said the office “has been transparent in its operations and project implementation processes” and noted that “therefore, the assertion that our project was sponsored by a restaurant is false and baseless.”

The Director of the Cyber Crime Centre, Uche Ifeanyi, on Tuesday, told The PUNCH the bail conditions for the detained journalist who has spent seven days in custody had not been met.

“We’ve served them papers for bail conditions. I think the problem is they’ve not been able to meet up with the bail conditions. The person they brought on Monday could not even produce an ID card. They brought someone on Tuesday who is not a civil servant. You know how sensitive the case is. So, once they bring the civil servant of measure, we will know,” he said.

FIJ’s founder, Fisayo Soyombo said on Tuesday it was “insane” to keep the journalist for that long. “I can’t believe this is happening in a democracy. The law is clear. If you feel that something false has been published against you, the process is laid down, you go to court and institute a case. You can’t just pick someone in Gestapo style and claim the person has a case to answer.”