Senate has received a formal request from President Muhammadu Buhari for the confirmation of the Acting President of the Court of Appeal, Monica Dongban-Mensem.
Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, read Buhari’s letter seeking the confirmation during plenary on Tuesday.
The letter from the President reads;
Pursuant to Section 238(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), I write to request for confirmation by the Senate, the appointment of Honourable Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem as the President of the Court of Appeal of Nigeria. It is my hope that the Senate will consider and confirm the nominee in the usual expeditious manner.
President Buhari had on Monday sent the name of Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem to the Senate.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media, Mallam Garba Shehu made this known in a statement, saying;
President Muhammadu Buhari, in-line with his constitutional responsibility has sent the nomination of Her Lordship, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, Acting President, Court of Appeal to the Senate for confirmation as President, Court of Appeal.
Justice Dongban-Mensem is a serving Justice of the Court of Appeal and was recommended, as is the practice, by the National Judicial Council for the nomination by the President.
President Buhari also made the announcement on Twitter, stating;
I have sent the nomination of Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, Acting President, Court of Appeal, to the Senate for confirmation as President, Court of Appeal, in line with the recommendation of the National Judicial Council.
— Muhammadu Buhari (@MBuhari) June 8, 2020
The announcement came hours after some lawyers criticized President Buhari for failure to confirm Dongban-Mensem’s appointment, months after she was so nominated by the National Judicial Council.
He was accused of undue preference for some ethnic groups in the country over others in national appointments.
