CJN Ariwoola recommends Wike’s wife, others for elevation
Joseph Irikefe
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Olukayode Ariwoola, has listed 22 judges of the court of appeal for elevation in a new recommendation. Prominent on the priority list is Eberechi Wike, the wife of the current minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
According to the CJN, this was disclosed in a memorandum signed and forwarded by the president of the court of appeal, Monica Dongban-Mensem, on April 2 to the Federal Judicial Service Commission.
The 22 names were approved for onward transmission to the NJC for further consideration and appointment as justices of the Court of Appeal.
The nominees covered the country’s six regions. The appointees from the north-central region included Ruqayat Ayoola (Kogi), Abdullahi Muhammad Liman (Nasarawa), Polycarp Tema Kwahar (Benue), Abdu Dogo (FCT), Asmara Akanbi Yusuf (Kwara), and Eneche Eleojo (Kogi).
The sole nominee from the northeast was an indigene of Borno state, Justice Fadahu Umaru In the northwest; the nominees included Zainab Bage Abubakar (Kebbi), Abdulaziz M. Ankara (Zamfara), and Ishaq Mohammed Sani (Kaduna).
Southeast nominees are Ngozika N Okaisabor (Imo), Toochukwu Nwoye (Anambra), Nnamdi Okwy Dimga Victoria (Abia), Donatus Uwaezuoke Okorowo (Enugu), and Henry Aja-Onu Njoku (Ebonyi).
This is followed by Eberechi Suzette Wike (Rivers), Ntong Festus Ntong (Akwa-Ibom), and Nehizena Idemudia Afolabi (Edo) nominated from the South-South. In the southwest, the nominees included Bayo Ademola Taiwo (Oyo), Lateef Babajide Lawal-Akapo (Lagos), Oyewumi Oyejoju Oyebiola (Oyo), and Abiodun Azeem Akinyemi (Ogun).
Other judges on the reserve list are: Northcentral: Rose Godwin Soji (Nasarawa), Dorcas Venenge Agishi (Benue), Jacob Azi Atsem (Plateau), Folajobi Ajayi (Kogi), Toyin Bolaji Adegoke (Kwara), and Adamu Yahaya (Kogi).
The northeast also has one nominee, Abdulhameed Mohammed Yakubu. In the northwest, those on the reserved list are Bello Ladan Raha (Kebi), Bello Mohammed Shinkati (Zamfara), and Isa Aliyu (Kaduna).