President Bola Tinubu is considering appointing retired Supreme Court Justice Abdu Aboki as the new chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), according to authoritative sources in the presidency.
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Justice Aboki, 71, retired from the Supreme Court bench in August 2022 after attaining the mandatory retirement age of 70 for judicial officers. If appointed as ICPC chairman, he will replace the incumbent Bolaji Owasanoye whose five-year tenure ends in February 2024.
The appointment of Justice Aboki will return the tradition of having retired appellate court judges lead the anti-corruption agency. The first two ICPC chairmen, Mustapha Akanbi and Emmanuel Ayoola, were retired Justices of the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court respectively before being appointed.
Some observers have raised concerns about Justice Aboki’s advanced age for the role, given the dynamic and evolving nature of corruption. However, his over 30 years of experience across various levels of the judiciary could prove invaluable in prosecuting complex corruption cases.
Justice Aboki meets the statutory requirements for the position, having served as a High Court judge since 1987 before elevation to higher courts. Section 4 of the ICPC Act mandates that the chairman must be qualified to serve as a superior court judge.
The respected jurist started his career as a state counsel at the Kano State Ministry of Justice after being called to bar in 1977. He later served as Solicitor General, Director of Public Prosecutions and Chief Registrar of the state high court before becoming a judge.
At the Supreme Court valedictory session marking his retirement, Justice Aboki advocated for judiciary funding transparency and appointments based solely on merit. He received accolades from the Chief Justice of Nigeria for his integrity, dignity and legal mastery.
The appointment of Justice Aboki as ICPC Chairman, though qualified, may reinforce public perception that President Tinubu is not fully committed to tackling corruption. However, the presidency believes Justice Aboki’s experience and pedigree makes him the right candidate for the role.
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