A civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has called for the nullification of the recommendation of Olukayode Ariwoola Jnr, son of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) as a judge of the Federal High Court. In a statement, HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, said it was an anomaly that “the CJN is abusing the power of his office to elevate his son to the position of a high court judge.”
The think-tank, tasked the National Judicial Council (NJC) to immediately rescind the junior Ariwoola’s recommendation and end any form of illegal institutionalisation of the judiciary, adding that the judiciary is not a family affair but should be based on the fulcrum of justice and fairness.
It will be recalled that at the 103rd Council meeting, which the CJN presided over, the recommendation was made that Ariwoola Junior and 22 others who passed the screening and interview session of the Council be considered for the Federal High Court bench.
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All the recommended candidates will be sworn in, following the approval of the President and their respective state governors and confirmation by their State Houses of Assembly as the case may be. The incumbent CJN was sworn in on October 12, 2022 and he is the chairman of the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) which has the power to advise the NJC in nominating persons for appointment to the office of judge of the Federal High Court. He is also the incumbent NJC chairman and he is also among the panel that interviewed his son for the post.
HURIWA stated that, “The recommendation of Ariwoola Jnr as high court judge is tainted with bias and favouritism. It is alarming that the CJN does not have the decency to recuse himself from his son’s recommendation despite the conflict of interest that already made the selection process bias.
“The judiciary is not a family inheritance and the NJC should immediately rescind the recommendation of Ariwoola Jnr for the appointment of a high court judge,” says Onwuiko.
The judiciary is an institution meant to uphold fairness and justice not granting favors or being partial in their appointments for reputable positions.
