Letter Claiming Governors Have Been Given Power To Appoint, Promote Judges ‘Fake’–NJC’
The National Judicial Council, NJC, has submitted that a certain letter claiming that the body has surrendered its statutory power and role in the appointment and promotion of judges to the state governors is fake.
The NJC noted that the council or its chairman, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola , knew nothing about the controversial letter addressed to the Chief Judge of Kebbi state which was purportedly signed by the CJN.
Team@orientactualmags.com learned that the NJC made this clarification in a statement issued in Abuja by its Director of Information, Soji Oye on Sunday while urging Nigerians to ignore the said letter and its content.
‘The attention of the National Judicial Council has been drawn to a fake letter dated 14th July 2023, purported to have emanated from the Council, and signed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman, National Judicial Council Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.
The fake letter stated that under section 10 of the existing law of Kebbi state 1996, His Excellency, the Governor, has the power to determine the Seniority of Judges and the National Judicial Council has no power to override or reverse the decision of His Excellency.
It further stated that the office of the Head of Court or Chief Judge is purely a political appointment to be decided by the Governor of a state.
For clarification and avoidance of doubt, the National Judicial Council hereby emphatically disclaims the letter as there is no iota of truth in it and no such letter ever emanated from the office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria or the Council’ the NJC said.
The statement urged Nigerians to disregard the letter and its content while noting that the matter has been reported to the security agencies.
‘In the meanwhile, the Council has reported the unfortunate case to the relevant security agencies with a view to investigating and bringing to book whoever is behind this dastardly act’ the statement added-Team@orientactualmags.com
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