NJC Sent Important Message Over Judges' Appointment
- The Africa Centre advocates against frivolous petitions targeting judicial nominees like CSP Blessing Nkechi Ezeala
- Leaked petitions undermine judicial integrity and may conceal a conspiracy against candidates for federal judgeships
- Thorough investigations are essential to discern genuine allegations from malicious attacks on judicial nominees
The Africa Centre For Good Governance And Corruption Free Communities has called on the National Judicial Council (NJC), and the Federal Judicial Service (FJSC), to be mindful of conspiracy and frivolous petitions against nominees for the appointnent judges to the Federal High Court.
The group said the allegations in the petition against CSP Blessing Nkechi Ezeala and others before the NJC and the FJSC are frivolous and unfounded.
Source: Twitter
The group said it owns the petition written against Chief Superintendent of Police, CSP, Blessing Nkechi Ezeala, who was accused of compromise in the discharge of her duties, asking why it was leaked to the media, if it was not for a conspiracy purpose.
The group, in a statement on Sunday, January 18, told the judicial bodies to investigate how some petitions against the nominees leaked to the media and should not be considered.
According to the Convener of the group,
Temitope Olubunmi Joseph, the NJC should invoke its rules on leaked petitions by discarding them.
The group said,
"Our organisation is in possession of the petition against Blessing Nkechi Ezeala and we can confidently confirm that the petition against Blessing Nkechi Ezeala was leaked to the media with an already prepared news report on Sunday, December 28, 2025, at about 3 pm.
"Again, at this point, may we ask, what is the motive of the petitioner by leaking the petition to the media. We would have thought that since the petition had been submitted to the relevant judicial bodies and individuals, the petitioner would have left it there and allowed them to take a look at it and consider it one way or the other.
"We challenge the petitioner to prove some of the allegations contained in the petition".
He said the NJC, the FJSC and other relevant judicial bodies should bear in mind that once members of the public are called upon to make comments and observations about an individual for an exalted position, such as was done by the FJSC, all manner of allegations will be flying, both true and untrue.
He said thorough investigations should be conducted on petitions submitted against nominees to ascertain those with genuine case amd those that are frivolous. He said:
"We make bold to say that the sole aim of leaking the petitions was to paint CSP Nkechi Blessing Ezeala and others black in the eyes of the members of the public.
"A move our organisation condemn in its entirety and we call on the NJC and other bodies in line with its National Judicial Policy and Judicial Discipline Regulations of Nigeria to discard the petition against CSP Nkechi Blessing Ezeala, and others, having been leaked to the public.
"Our organisation has reliably gathered that some very powerful forces have ganged up and are bent on stopping CSP Blessing Nkechi Ezeala, from being appointed to the position of a Judge of the Federal Republic of Nigeria based on enforcement of judgment of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory over a property in Wuse, Abuja, for which the Petitioner grossly violated the Order of Court by forcefully regaining possession of the property after he was evicted by the Court, which led to his lawful arrest by the Police.
"The petitioner failed to show that the CSP compromised in the discharge of her duty or that the investigation conducted by the Inspector General of Police into the case found her culpable. If the FJSC considered the Petition, would it not have asked for the Police investigation report on the case? Adopting the leaked Petition and allegations of the petitioner, without thorough investigation, clearly supports the theory of grand conspiracy against the CSP".
It would be recalled that based on the National Judicial Policy and Judicial Discipline Regulations of Nigeria, the National Judicial Council (NJC) generally will not look into or will discontinue a petition that has been leaked to the public or discussed in the media. The NJC policy emphasises strict confidentiality to protect the integrity of the judiciary and the reputation of judicial officers against frivolous or malicious complaints.
The group emphasised:
"The NJC, the FJSC, and other relevant judicial bodies should be particularly concerned and careful in considering the petitions made against nominees because not only are the petitions full of falsehood against the nominees, but they were also deliberately leaked to the public, particularly the media, to tarnish and stop the process for the appointment of some of the nominees.
"From our investigation, since the FJSC published the names of the nominees and called for public comments, and observations on the nominees, many interested Nigerians and organisations have filed petitions to the NJC, FJSC and other relevant bodies.
"Our organisation was able to lay our hands on one of such petitions to the FJSC, NJC and other judicial bodies, which was filed against a Chief Superintendent of Police, CSP, Blessing Nkechi Ezeala.
"In the petition dated September 22, 2025, signed by Sanni Abass Esq., on behalf of his client, one Alhaji Abubakar Yahaya, CSP Blessing Nkechi Ezeala, who, from our investigation, has been a very dutiful officer, who carries out her duties without fear or favour, was said to have compromised in the discharge of her duty.
"As we observed earlier, the petitions are full of lies and were deliberately leaked to the public and the media to paint CSP Blessing Nkechi Ezeala and other nominees with similar petitions in a bad light".
Source: Legit.ng
