President Bola Tinubu is facing widespread backlash for allegedly bypassing constitutional procedures in appointing Dr. Mainasara Umar-Kogo as Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
As reported by Politics Nigeria, Legal experts and stakeholders have described the move as unconstitutional and a threat to judicial independence.
The appointment, conveyed in a letter dated January 20, 2025, by Senator George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, has stirred controversy, especially as it was backdated to November 27, 2024.
Critics argued that the process bypassed the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC), both of which play crucial roles in judicial appointments under Paragraph 15 of the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution.
Legal practitioners, including Senior Advocates of Nigeria such as Professor Mamman Lawan Yusufari, Dr. Wahab Shittu, and Professor Yemi Akinseye George, have condemned the action.
They stressed that the FJSC is responsible for nominating candidates for judicial positions, while the NJC evaluates and recommends them to the President.
Skipping this process, they warned, that it undermined judicial independence and could set a dangerous precedent.
The controversy is further heightened by the fact that the tenure of the previous CCT Chairman, Justice Danladi Umar, had not officially ended before Umar-Kogo’s appointment was announced in July 2024.
Justice Umar, known for handling high-profile cases like President Tinubu’s 2012 trial over false asset declaration, has been at the center of litigation regarding his alleged premature removal by the National Assembly.
Critics have urged the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, to address the situation, warning that the decision could lead to perceptions of authoritarianism.
The appointment has also sparked concerns about the erosion of constitutional safeguards designed to ensure transparency and fairness in judicial processes.
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