Religion Not An Issue In Appointing President Court Of Appeal – Buhari

The Presidency says that President Muhammadu Buhari is not a rubber stamp and will not automatically nominate Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem as President of the Court of Appeal despite the recommendation of the National Judicial Council, NJC.

The presidency’s claim follows agitation in some sections of the polity over the failure of the president to nominate Justice Dongban-Mensem as recommended by the NJC.

The agitation has been fueled by sentiments by some critics that Buhari is averse to appointing a Christian to that position.

Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity in a statement on Sunday said that the president has a duty to ensure that such appointments meet the requirements of the constitution in protecting the supreme law of the land.

He added that the president had 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.

“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,’’ he said.

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