Judge who chaired presidential election tribunal confirmed as s’court justice

The senate has confirmed Mohammed Lawal Garba, an appeal court judge, as a justice of the supreme court.

Garba chaired the 2019 presidential election petition tribunal which ruled in favour of President Muhammadu Buhari against Atiku Abubakar, former vice-president.

The judge was confirmed by the senate after Opeyemi Bamidele, chairman of the judiciary committee, presented a report on the floor of the upper legislative chamber on Tuesday.

Apart from him, 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) were also confirmed as supreme court justices.

While presenting his report, Bamidele said his committee did not receive any petition against the nominees.

“The appointment of eight justices at a stretch is a bold step taken by the president,” he said.

“No petition or averse report against any of the nominees as honourable justices.”

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.