The Judiciary as a law enforcement organ of the state has its functions of interpreting and enforcing the laws and its independence and integrity need to be protected and its authority to be preserved to serve as a cornerstone to the rule of law and of a democratic state.

The second paragraph of the preamble to the code of conduct for judicial officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provides that;
“And whereas a judicial officer should actively participate in establishing, maintaining, enforcing and himself observing a high standard of conduct so that the integrity and respect for the independence of the Judiciary may be preserved”.

The need for Judicial officers to maintain the highest level of decorum both in their judicial and extra-judicial interactions becomes imperative in the light of the above provision. And where a judicial officer engages in acts that lower the acceptable standards, it behoves on us as Nigerians to bring such conducts to the limelight with the view of saving the judiciary from the misconduct of such undeserving officers(s).

We acknowledge the right of a judicial officer (like every other Nigerian) to freedom of association. But where the exercise of such right of association is tainted with conducts unbecoming of a judicial officer as to call into question the dignity of the office he holds, the impartiality and independence of the judiciary become circumscribed in the circumstance.

A few days ago, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria appointed Hon. Justice Monica Dongban-Memsem in an acting capacity as the President of the Court of Appeal for three (3) months.

The antecedents of Hon. Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem over the years have given judiciary watchers and members of the organized civil society concerns as to whether President Muhammadu Buhari hasn’t made a mistake in his decision to appoint Hon. Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem to serve in an acting capacity in such a sensitive exhalted office.

The following are some of the reasons for the serious concerns being raised in the context of the honour and integrity of the acting president of the court of appeal.

Upon her appointment into the FCT Judiciary, it was the focus of discussions that her appointment was facilitated by the then Hon. Minister of the FCT. She had transferred her service from the plateau State Judiciary. She was looked upon as being the powerful lover of the then Hon. Minister and that it was to make accessibility and consummation easier that her appointment was orchestrated by the Hon. Minister to meet his self-imposed exigencies.

Akin to the above, when the Acting President ended her affair with the Hon. Minister of the FCT, she became the live-in-lover of another legal luminary a present member of the NJC, She continued in the relationship until her elevation to the Court of Appeal.

The Acting President is quarrelsome and can hardly work with her subordinates administratively in an atmosphere of peace and harmony.
In all the appellate divisions where she had served, she has quarreled with her subordinates, the last of which took place in Ibadan and Enugu. Her open confrontation with another female judge was responsible for her transfer from Ibadan division to Enugu division of the court of appeal.

We acknowledged the quest of the present administration to rid the judiciary of misfits. This consideration ought to weigh in and supersede the age-long tradition of the Judiciary in appointing the most senior member in the hierarchy to succeed the retiring head of the court.

Unless the proper thing is done now, the repercussions of a slip in the moral rectitude of the acting president in the course of her tenure (if confirmed) will reverberate and may bring the judiciary to the kneels.

When the keg of gun powder finally explodes, will it not be too late to embark on damage control? Only time will tell!

Ok

Fergie,come i

Gossip column material.

Na wa o

The person that wrote this jaundiced article is very mad. I can see that your preferred candidate was not picked that's why you resulted into these cheap blackmails. It will interest you to know that she's the most senior and most qualified member of the bench in that court. Hope hatred don't make you to miss God.

jezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz what sort of nonsensical gossipitic material is this? I mean this is pure trash i expected to read an intelligent write up on her learnings in the bar and anything she has done on the job in the past to warrant the article headline....But all i see is bear parlour gossips of how she's or was a lover or side chick of some guys.....

Bloody shit this is

I will not let this one pass! This is very cheap blackmail that represents all that is wrong with us -ethno-religious jingoists always wanting to promote their primordial and feudal agenda. Have you ever bothered to check this woman's pedigree? I am not surprised at this trash being written about her and I expect more, all in a bid to stop her from being confirmed in substantive capacity just because of where she comes from. We need to be bold to confront those who want others to be reduced to second class citizens among us. It is unfortunate that many cannot see through the trend.