Assembly confirms Nasarawa CJ

Category: News Published on Friday, 01 February 2013 05:00 Written by Hir Joseph, Lafia

Lawmakers at the Nasarawa State House of Assembly yesterday confirmed Justice Suleiman Umaru-Dikko as the new chief judge of the state, but urged him to correct an anomaly which occurred earlier.

Before the confirmation, the lawmakers hailed Justice Dikko who is taking over from Badamasi Maina, as a man of integrity, while the House Majority Leader, Godiya Akwashiki, urged him to correct an anomaly which occurred in January.

Akwashiki said the governor breached the rule of law by swearing in two high court judges at the same event.

The majority leader observed that Section 271 (2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), provides for the National Judicial Council (NJC) to recommend the appointment of high court judges for the governor to effect, and went further to observe that the NJC first recommended Samuel Ayiwulu, and then Asmau Yusuf, to be sworn-in, in that order.

But Akwashiki observed further that the governor swore in the two judges in the reverse order: Asmau before Ayiwulu, “automatically making Asmau the senior to Ayiwulu in breach of the constitution and rule of law.”

Dikko promised to comply by the resolution to correct the anomaly.