Senate to A/Court president-designate: Stand up against injustice

The Senate through its Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, pointedly told the nominee for the Presidency of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem to stand up against injustice in the judiciary if eventually confirmed as substantive President of the Court of Appeal.

The charge came as Justice Dongban-Mensem vowed that if eventually confirmed as substantive president of the appellate court, part of the innovation she would bring to bear on the court’s activities is making it Information and Communication Technology (ICT) compliant.

The stand-up against injustice admonition given to the nominee was made when she appeared Wednesday in Abuja before the committee for screening as substantive president, in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s request and based on recommendation of the National Judicial Council (NJC).

Specifically, chairman of the committee, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele (APC Ekiti Central), who made the admonition, said the enthusiasm with which Nigerians greeted her nomination, informed the respect the Senate had for her by suspending its rule for expeditious screening, saying this should not be in vain if eventually confirmed.

“You must demonstrate the required courageous leadership the Judiciary deserves by standing up in a fair and fearless manner for the Nigerian people when it comes to justice.

“Your Lordship must ensure that Justice is not only delivered but in a timely manner because justice delayed is justice denied.

“It should not be business as usual, the very reason the Senate and by extension the National Assembly, is revisiting the budget of the Judiciary which is less than 1% of the N10.509 trillion 2020  budget size for the country.”

Bamidele said the insignificant votes given the Judiciary required urgent and upward reviews He further lamented the welfare situation of the judicial officers, saying it is nothing to write home about.

According to him, the last time salaries and emoluments of judicial officers were reviewed was in 2008, the benefits of which he said had been completely eroded by inflationary trends.

“This sector might go into extinction if the needful is not urgently done, because in years to come, Nigerians may no longer be interested in going into the sector,” he warned.

Earlier before the chairman’s closing remarks , virtually all the senators who attended the screening session from  Senate Deputy President Ovie  Omo-Agege to other members of the committee, described the nominee as square peg  nominated for fixing into a square hole.

In her  introductory remarks, the nominee said she had spent 40 years in the Judiciary from 1980 when she was called to bar and served in the Ministry of Justice and subsequently appointed as Registrar of the Court and made Magistrate few years after which culminated in her appointment as Judge of High Court in Plateau State in 1996 .

The jurist said she became a judge of FCT High Court thereafter till 2003 when she transferred her service to FCT Judiciary as Judge of FCT High Court till 2003 when invited to serve as a Justice of the Court of Appeal.

“I’ve lived the substantial part of my life in the Judiciary and I have tremendous passion for its positive transformation, one of which is my intention of making the Court of Appeal ICT compliant when confirmed as substantive President.

“I also have a lot of compassion for fellow human beings and a solution provider and not trouble maker,” she said.

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