NJC Dismisses Fake Letter Claiming To Surrender Powers To Governors

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has dismissed a letter purportedly emanating from it, surrendering its statutory powers and functions on judges’ appointments and promotions to state governors. 

The NJC said that the letter addressed to the Chief Judge of Kebbi State and purportedly signed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, did not emanate from the Council or the CJN.

In a statement issued on Sunday by NJC’s Director of Information, Soji Oye, it said that there was no iota of truth whatsoever in the fake letter.

The fake letter titled ‘Order of Seniority of Judges of the High Court of Kebbi state and recommendation of Justice Umar Abubakar as the substantive Chief Judge of Kebbi state’ addressed to the Chief Judge stated “that under section 10 of the existing law of Kebbi state 1996, His Excellency, the Governor, has the power to determine Seniority of Judges and the National Judicial Council has no power to override or reverse the decision of His Excellency”.

While advising the general public to discountenance the letter and its content, the Council says it has reported the unfortunate case to the relevant security agencies with a view to investigate and bring to book whoever is behind this dastardly act.