Buhari seeks confirmation of judge who chaired presidential election tribunal as s’court justice

Mohammed Lawal Garba, a judge of the appeal court, has been appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari as justice of the supreme court.

Garba chaired the 2019 presidential election petitions tribunal that ruled in the favour of Buhari.

In a letter read by Senate President Ahmad Lawan on the floor of the upper legislative chamber on Tuesday, Buhari asked the senators to confirm him and seven other judges as supreme court justices.

The president premised his request on section 231(2) of the constitution as amended.

“Pursuant to 231(2) of the 1999 constitution as amended and upon the advice of the National Judicial Council (NJC), I hereby present for confirmation by the senate, the appointment of the underlisted eight justices of the court of appeal as justices of the supreme court of Nigeria, according to the rank of seniority at the court of appeal,” he said.

The seven other nominees are; Helen M. Ogunwunmi (south-west), Ado Aboki (north-west), I.M. Saulawa (north-west), Adamu Joro (north-east), Samuel Oseji (South-south), Tijani Abubakar (north-east), and Emmanuel Agim (south-south).

TheCable had reported how dirt-digging was employed by some presidential advisers to disqualify Monica Dongban-Mensem — who was at the time qualified for the position of appeal court president — and pave the way for Garba.

Although the National Judicial Council (NJC) had recommended the appointment of Dongban-Mensem as the substantive head of the court, Buhari did not send her name to the senate for confirmation.

She acted as appeal court president for months before Buhari eventually sent her name for confirmation.

Dongban-Mensem was confirmed in June.