*BRAND NEW President Of The Court Of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem
Finally, Hon. Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, the former President of the court of Appeal now have a substantive successor, she is Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem. She was confirmed as the President of the Court of Appeal, by the ninth senate at plenary on Thursday.
Following the request for her confirmation by President Muhammadu Buhari, the senate said they would honour the request and fast track the confirmation. Senate President, Ahmad Lawan said the decision became imperative to prevent a possible constitutional crisis in the Judiciary.
He explained that the senate had to make the intervention to forestall eruption of a constitutional crisis in the country, particularly in the judicial arm of government. The President of the Senate who explained that since the senate would adjourn for two weeks from Thursday in commemoration of its one-year anniversary of the Ninth Assembly, it was important to confirm the nominee before the break.
The decision is apparently to prevent emergence of a vacuum in the Appellate Court, as the tenure of Dongban-Mensem in acting capacity will soon expire. However, after submitting the report of the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters on the confirmation of the Nomination of Hon. Justice M.B. Dongban-Mensem for Appointment as the Honorable President of the Court of Appeal by Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, Senator Bamidele who spoke on behalf of the committee said, “no petition was received against her nomination.
In view of that, Bamidele added, the nominee is a fit and proper person for appointment as the President of the Court of Appeal. The Committee recommends that the Senate do confirm the nomination of Hon. Justice M.B. Dongban-Mensem as Honourable President of the Court of Appeal.
Senator Ike Ekweramdu who straight away congratulated the nominee, however added that women are making progress in the scheme of things. He said this is because Justice Mendem is succeeding a woman who also served and retired in the same capacity. He however charged the new President of the Court of Appeal to join forces with others to carry out reforms in the justice system especially in election matters.
