President Muhammadu Buhari, in-line with his constitutional responsibility has sent the nomination of Her Lordship, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, acting President, Court of Appeal to the Senate for confirmation as President, Court of Appeal.
Justice Dongban-Mensem is a serving Justice of the Court of Appeal and was recommended, as is the practice, by the National Judicial Council for the nomination by the President.
Former Kaduna State military governor, Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar, had written a strongly-worded open letter to President Buhari, asking that Justice Dongban-Mensem be confirmed.
He also questioned some of the appointments of the President stressing that it was skewed in favour of the northern Muslims.
In the letter titled: ‘Mr President; Please belong to all of us‘ Umar stated Nigeria has become dangerously polarised and risk sliding into crisis on account of Buhari’s lopsided appointments.
He said, “May I also invite the attention of Mr. President to the pending matter of appointment of a Chief Judge of the Nigerian Court Appeal which appears to be generating public interest.
As it is, the most senior Judge, Justice Monica Dongban Mensem, a northern Christian, is serving out her second three-month term as acting Chief Judge without firm prospects that she will be confirmed substantive head.”
“I do not know Justice Mensem but those who do attest to her competence, honesty and humility. She appears eminently qualified for appointment as the substantive Chief Judge of the Court of Appeal as she is also said to be highly recommended by the National Judicial Council.
If she is not and is bypassed in favor of the next in line who happens to be another northern Muslim, that would be truly odd.
“In which case, even the largest contingent of PR gurus would struggle to rebut the charges that you, Mr. President, is either unwilling or incapable of acting on your pledge to belong to everyone — and to no one.
