Says it’s evil ploy to deny a Christian the Presidency of Court of Appeal
Admin l Saturday, June 06, 2020
ABUJA, Nigeria – Ecumenical Youths Association(EYA) has condemned President Muhammadu Buhari for his deliberate refusal to confirm Acting President of Court of Appeal, Hon Justice Monica Bolna’an Dongban-Mensem as substantive president of the court.
In a press statement signed by Daboikiabo Warmate Z. Warmate, President, Ecumenical Youth Association (EYA), the group attributed the refusal of Buhari to confirm her to religious and political reasons.
“We condemn and reject the deliberate refusal to confirm Hon. Justice Monica Bolna’an Dongban-Mensem for religious and political reasons as the substantive President of the Court of Appeal because she is a Christian, and this is just one case among many”, the group said, adding that it is compelled to issue the statement on the unfriendly and unfavourable disposition due to the action of President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR) towards Christians and those occupying sensitive position in his government.
In the statement dated June 6, the group stated that Hon. Justice M. B. Dongban-Mensem whose tenure was just extended instead of confirmation for a period of three months effective June 3, 2020, in acting capacity as President of the Court of Appeal by President Buhari is quite suspicious since she is eminently qualified and clean by all standard with her intimidating and impeccably impressive credential.
“She deserves to be confirmed as the substantive Appeal Court President haven been nominated by the National Judicial Council (NJC) in consonance with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“She is an authority in many fields namely: Criminal and Civil procedure law, Taxation and International Public Finance Law, Public and International law, Legislative drafting, Constitutional and Administrative law and International Commercial transactions, et al”, the EYA said, stressing that as at December 2019, Hon. Justice M. B. Dongban-Mensem had over one hundred and fifty (150) lead and contributory judgments respectively.
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“Her LL.B and LL.M degrees are both from the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria”, the EYA noted, stressing that the delay in the confirmation of such a person is nothing but a time buying strategy to ensure that she is not confirmed as the President of the Court of Appeal.
This development, the EYA said has raised curiosity, anxiety and suspicion.
“If our suspicion is incorrect, why was she not confirmed after the three months period of her acting? What are the President’s reasons for not sending her name to the Senate for confirmation the same time he sent other of his appointees? But the same President has since sent the name of one of his appointee Mr. Lamido Yuguda, the new Director General of the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) to the Senate, which the President of the Senate Mr. Ahmad Lawan read during the plenary session on Tuesday, May 19, 2020, in a letter requesting the upper chamber to confirm him. In acting capacity, her performance is limited as such, she is administratively strangulated and the judiciary at that level is subjugated”, the group stated.
According to the EYA, preliminary Investigation has revealed that, several attempts have been made to move her to the Supreme Court as one of the Justices, out of an evil ploy to deny a Christian the Presidency of the Court of Appeal.
“Having failed in that, the plotters are not relenting in their plot; they are now trying to cook up stories in order to discredit her so she does not emerge at the expiration of the three months. Just the same way, the former acting Chief Justice of Kebbi State, Hon. Justice Elizabeth Asabe Karatu was denied confirmation in 2017 because of her Christian faith. And the former Chief Justice of Nigeria Hon. Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen was wrongly removed on frivolous trump up charges”, they said.
They urged Hon. Justice M. B. Dongban-Mensem to continue to remain up right and not yield to blackmail that will force her to resign.
“In same vein we are calling on Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Christian Elders Forum (CEF), All Christian Youths, Former President Olusegun M. A. Obasanjo, GCFR; former President Goodluck E. Jonathan, GCFR; Gen. T. Y. Danjuma and all well meaning Nigerians to prevail on President Muhammedu Buhari to confirm her with out further delay, if he does not have any hidden agenda to bring in a Muslim to replace her”, the group said, adding that it will resist every and any attempt to deny a Christian that is qualified the Presidency of the Court of Appeal.
