Nigerian Senate Finally Confirms Justice Dongban-Mensem As Court Of Appeal President

The Nigerian Senate on Thursday confirmed Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem as President of the Court of Appeal.

Justice Dongban-Mensem had been the acting President of the Appeal court since on March 5, 2020, when her predecessor, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, clocked the mandatory retirement age of 70.

KanyiDaily had reported on Monday that President Muhammadu Buhari had in a letter urged the Senate to approve the nomination of Justice Dongban-Mensem as the Appeal court president.

Justice Dongban-Mensem was finally confirmed on Thursday, June 11, 2020, after a report of the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters by Senator Opeyemi Bamidele.

The committee interviewed her and received an explanation about her career, adding that the appointment of the nominee satisfies the requirements of the constitution as amended.

“Having screened the nominee and satisfied with her competence, the committee do recommend the confirmation of Monica Dongban-Mensem as the president of the court of appeal,” Bamidele said.

KanyiDaily recalls that Buhari’s initial refusal to confirm Justice Dongban-Mensem for the position of appeal court president had been criticised by many Nigerians including a widely respected retired colonel, Abubakar Umar.

Mr Umar accused President Buhari of putting Nigeria in danger by his “undue preference to some sections of the country over others” in national appointments.