Buhari Nominates Dongban-Mensem As Court Of Appeal President
The announcement comes barely 24 hours after the presidency said President Muhammadu Buhari would not be rushed into nominating Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, as the substantive president, Court of Appeal, the President has sent her nomination to the Senate for confirmation.
A statement issued in Abuja on Monday by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity), explained that this is in line with the President’s constitutional responsibility.
The statement noted that 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.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Shehu had dismissed pressure on President Buhari to confirm Justice Dongban-Mensem as president of the Court of Appeal, saying that the President cannot be a rubber stamp in making judicial and other appointments.
Recall that former Kaduna State military Governor, Col Dangiwa Umar (retd) had called on President Buhari to confirm the acting president of the Court of Appeal in order to perceived as discriminating against parts of the country.
In an apparent response, the presidential spokesman explained: “In making appointments upon the recommendations of other arms or agencies of the government, the President is not a rubber stamp that will mechanistically sign off on nominees that come before him.
“The President has a duty to ensure that all such appointments meet the requirements of the constitution and in 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.
“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.
