NBA Warri Rejects Lists Of Shortlisted Candidates For Appointment As Judges, Vows Not To Partake In The Opening Ceremony Of Delta State Legal Year

The Warri branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, has called on the National Judicial Council to suspend the process of appointment of judges in Delta State and cause an investigation to be carried out to confirm if the clear procedure for appointment as contained in the NJC guidelines were adhered to.

This call was made in a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Council, and signed by Chairman and Secretary of the branch. The branch has alleged that prior to the letter dated 6th June, 2019, calling for the branch to comment on shortlisted candidates, there was no notification to the branch or any other branch of the NBA in Delta State as provided for in the NJC guidelines for the appointment of judges; that the branch via a letter dated the 4^th day of June, 2019, forwarded comments on the suitability or otherwise of the shortlisted persons for appointment as judicial offices to the JSC.

The branch further alleged that in the course of time, it became aware of some serious deficiencies in the exercise such lack of any assessment of the intellectual suitability of the candidates, scrutiny of their records such as cases conducted by them or judgments delivered by them, etc, that the screening of the candidates that was conducted by the JSC on the 16^th of July, 019, was a sham that could not possibly determine the suitability or otherwise of any candidate for appointment as a judge of the High Court.

It was also alleged that when the name of persons allegedly picked for appointment filtered into the public domain, it became clear that the list of persons forwarded by the JSC for the consideration of the NJC, is made up of some handpicked candidates and the blood relations f the Chief Judge of the state, Hon. Justice Mrshal Umukoro and the President of the Customary Court of Appeal, Hon. Justice S. O. N. Ogene.

According to the information THENIGERIALAWYER obtained from the  branch, the JSC has refused to reveal the names of the final five candidates, and the five alternatives that have been forwarded to the NJC for consideration and the criteria for choosing them as earlier requested by them, it is however now a well known fact that the names include Onome Marshall-Umukoro, the son of the Chief Judge of Delta State and Aaron Ighoverio, a cousin or nephew of the President of the Customary Court of Appeal, Delta State; alleging that the criteria for selection was never made public.

Arguing that the whole process is contrary to the provision of the NJC guidelines, the branch is, therefore, calling for a review of the whole process.

Also, in another letter dated the 17^th day of September, 2019, the branch informed the Chief Judge of the State, Hon. Justice Marshal Umukoro, of the fact that the branch was not given the opportunity to present a speech at the 2019/2020 Legal Year Celebration in Delta State. According to the branch, before this time, it was given the opportunity to do so. The branch in addition to the rejection of the shortlisted list of candidates, resolved not to partake in the opening celebration of the legal year in the state.

TheNigerialawyer (TNL) recalls that the branch has via a letter dated the 17^th day of September, 2019, asked the Chairman of the Delta State Judicial Commission to comply with the extant laws with respect to the appointment of judges, failure which will leave them with no other option than to reject the said list.