A former Military Governor of Kaduna State, Col. Abubakar Dangiwa Umar (Rtd), has called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) not to recommend any other nominee to President Muhammadu Buhari for appointment as Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) in the event that he fails to forward the name of the Acting CJN, Justice Walter Onoghen to the Senate for confirmation.

“The NJC must not forward any other name nor should the Senate confirm any other nominee. This will serve to check the excesses of this administration and reinforce the unity of the nation which has already been pushed to the precipice by the recruitment and appointment policies of a government which tends to favour the north in violation of the Federal Character provision of the Constitution,” Umar said in a statement issued on Thursday in Kaduna.

He pointed out: “In a few days, the tenure of Acting appointment of Justice Onoghen will expire. Going by our extant Constitution, the Acting CJN will be disqualified from appointment as the substantive CJN unless the NJC resubmits his nomination to the President.

“Without providing any cogent and plausible or believable reason for its failure to forward the name of Justice Unoghen to the Senate for confirmation, the Presidency leaves Nigerians guessing and speculating about the reasons.

“Already, many analysts view this action as a ploy to deny a Southerner his right to succession based on his seniority in keeping with the appointment protocol observed by the NJC in making the appointment.”

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