Senate confirms Dongban-Mensem as appeal court president

The senate has confirmed Monica Dongban-Mensem as the president of the court of appeal.

Dongban-Mensem was confirmed after Opeyemi Bamidele, chairman of the committee on judiciary and legal matters, presented a report.

“The committee interviewed her and received explanation about her career. The appointment of the nominee satisfies the requirements of the constitution as amended,” Bamidele said.

“Having screened the nominee and satisfied with her competence, the committee do recommend the confirmation of Monica Dongban-Mensem as the president of the court of appeal.”

On Wednesday, Senate President Ahmad Lawan said the confirmation of the judge would be expedited to avoid “a constitutional crisis”.

A letter by President Muhammadu Buhari asking the senate to confirm her as the substantive appeal court president was read by the senate president on Tuesday.

Dongban-Mensem has been acting as head of the appellate court since the retirement of Zainab Bulkachuwa in March.

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

Instead, the president extended her tenure as acting president of the court till September.

TheCable had reported how dirt-digging was employed by some presidential advisers to get her disqualified and pave the way for Mohammed Lawal Garba.

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