The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, has sparked controversy by nominating his daughter, Justice Victoria Oluwakemi, for a judgeship at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja, further fuelling concerns about nepotism in the judiciary.
Sources in the judiciary disclosed this nomination to PeoplesGazette, following previous appointments of family members, including his son and younger brother in top judicial positions.
Despite criticism and calls for judiciary independence, the CJN now faces scrutiny for attempting to secure a position for his daughter amid growing public dissatisfaction.
The nomination process came to light through documents obtained by PeoplesGazette, exposing a pattern of familial appointments within the judiciary.
The controversy surrounds the CJN’s daughter being nominated for a judgeship position with only three years of experience as a junior magistrate, raising questions about merit-based appointments.
The FCT Chief Judge, Husseini Baba-Yusuf, initiated the nomination process, urging the AGF, Attorney-General of the Federation, and the NBA President to send candidates for the vacant positions.
“In line with the National Judicial Council Guidelines and Procedural Rules for Appointment of Judicial Officers to Superior Courts, I hereby invite your lordships, the honourable attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice and the president of the Nigerian Bar Association to kindly nominate suitably qualified persons from the aforementioned states for appointment to the Federal Capital Territory High Court,” Baba-Yusuf is quoted to have said.
He urged them to submit candidate resumes to his chambers by January 19, 2024.
Baba-Yusuf outlined the states responsible for supplying candidates: Bauchi, Bayelsa, Enugu, Imo, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Taraba, and Zamfara.
However, The Gazette found that Oyo already boasts two judges, Mohammed Alhaji Madugu and Ajoke Adepoju, from Saki and Ibadan South-West LGAs, respectively.
The FCT High Court, with a total of 70 judges nationwide, selects judges from the 36 states and FCT, with varying allocations per state.
Notably, Ebonyi currently has no judges, while Oyo was allocated an additional seat for the CJN’s daughter, securing three slots at the expense of states with no representation.
However, concerns were raised about states with no representation being overlooked in favour of accommodating the CJN’s daughter.
Critics argue that the CJN is turning the judiciary into a personal asset, highlighting the need for a fair and impartial nomination process.
