Appeal Court President: Buhari not a rubber stamp, says Presidency

The presidency has dismissed pressure on President Muhammadu Buhari to confirm Justice Monica S. Dongban-Mensem as President of the Court of Appeal, saying that the president cannot be a rubber stamp in making judicial and other appointments.

A statement issued by presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Sunday night explained that

Recall that former Kaduna state military Governor, Col. Dangiwa Umar (retd) has called on President Buhari to confirm the acting President of the Court of Appeal in order to perceived as discriminating against parts of the country.

In an apparent response, the presidential spokesman explained: “In making appointments upon the recommendations of other arms or agencies of the government, the President is not a rubber stamp that will mechanistically sign off on nominees that come before him.

“The President has a duty to ensure that all such appointments meet the requirements of the constitution and in protecting the supreme law of the land in this regard, he has an obligation to allow law enforcement and security agencies to do their work.

“Don’t forget our recent experience with ministers who were signed off upon and turned out as having not undertaken the compulsory National Youth Service, just to give you an example.

“In the specific case of the Acting President of the Court of Appeal, Her Lordship Justice M. S Dongban-Mensem, the statutory regulatory time of her acting period has not lapsed.

“This is not about ethnicity or religion. It is about security and law enforcement agencies being allowed to complete their work. Nobody should seek to stampede the President in carrying out his constitutional duty in this respect.

“The President had not been a rubber stamp dealing with these matters before and is not prepared to be one at this time. Let all allow the system to do what is right.”

The presidency had recently extended the acting period of Justice Dongban-Mensem for another three months at the expiration of the first three months.

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