Reps move to clip President’s powers on removal of judges

Smarting from the raid on the homes of judges and their arrest, the House of Representatives, Thursday, intensified the process of reducing the powers of the president to sack judges.

If the move materializes, the National Judicial Council, NJC, would be involved in the procedure for the removal of heads of courts.

The reduction of the president’s powers is contained in a Bill, titled An act to pursuant to Section 9(1) and (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) to alter Section 292 (1) (A) and (i) (ii) to include the National Judicial Council in the procedure for the removal of heads of courts established by the Constitution under Section 6 (5).’

The bill was sponsored by Hon. Garba Datti Muhammad, APC, Kaduna.

Read also: The lies DSS told to justify raid on judges, by NBA

Under the current laws, the NJC can only recommend a erring judge to the President for discipline. However, if the bill, which has passed second reading, is passed, the NJC would be involved in the discipline or removal of any erring judge.

Datti, while leading the debate on the bill, said the purpose of the proposed amendment “is to ensure that judicial officers serving as heads of courts are not victimised through removal by executive fiat, acting in concert with the legislature without any established or verifiable evidence.”

According to him, with the bill, judicial personnel serving as heads of courts established under Section 6 (5) of the Constitution would now only be removed upon the advice of National Judicial Council.

By Timothy Enietan-Matthews….

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now