Buhari Scheming To Appoint Northerner Instead Of Dongban-Mensem As Court Of Appeal President

The delay in confirmation of Monica Dongban-Mensem as substanstive president of the court of appeal might not be unconnected to a plot to edge her out and pave way for a northerner in the person of Mohammed Lawal Garba.

The National Judicial Council (NJC) had sent her name as the rightful substantive head of the court but president Muhammadu Buhari, however, refused to forward her name to the senate for confirmation.

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

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

Court of Appeal acting President, Monica Dongban-Mensem

Presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, had said the delay in appointment of Monica Dongban-Mensem as the substantive president of the court of appeal was because the relevant security agencies are still screening her.

But Garba explanation appears to be a smokescreen for a devious underhand tactics employed by the president advisers to ensure Dongban-Mensem does not emerge as the substanstive president.

Also Read: Insecurity: Buhari Blows Hot, Reads Riot Act To Bandits

Dirt-digging is being employed by some presidential advisers to get Dongban-Mensem disqualified and pave the way for Mohammed Lawal Garba, a source who is familiar with the situation told TheCable

Lawal Garba is the Judge who chaired the 2019 presidential election petitions tribunal that ruled in favour of Buhari.

Mohammed Lawal Garba

A source said part of the document being targeted as instrument of destruction is her national youth service certificate.

The source disclosed that her NYSC record is being scrutinised, It’s, however, gathered that she did serve in 1980/81.

Shehu, in his statement, did not explicitly say that the NYSC record of Dongban-Mensem is being examined but he made reference to Kemi Adeosun who stepped down as minister of finance over alleged forgery of NYSC exemption certificate.

Shehu said Buhari can’t be railroaded into making appointments hastily adding that he ensures that all appointments meet the requirements of the constitution.

“The president has a duty to ensure that all such appointments meet the requirements of the constitution and protecting the supreme law of the land in this regard, he has an obligation to allow law enforcement and security agencies to do their work,” he said.

“Don’t forget our recent experience with ministers who were signed off upon and turned out as having not undertaken the compulsory National Youth Service, just to give you an example.

“In the specific case of the acting president of the Court of Appeal, Her Lordship Justice M. S Dongban-Mensem, the statutory regulatory time of her acting period has not lapsed. This is not about ethnicity or religion. It is about security and law enforcement agencies being allowed to complete their work.

“Nobody should seek to stampede the President in carrying out his constitutional duty in this respect.

“The president had not been a rubber stamp dealing with these matters before, and is not prepared to be one at this time. Let all allow the system to do what is right.”

---

Advertise or Publish a Story on EkoHot Blog:

Kindly contact us at [email protected]. Breaking stories should be sent to the above email and substantiated with pictorial evidence.

Citizen journalists will receive a token as data incentive.

Call or Whatsapp: 0803 561 7233, 0703 414 5611