By Ogechi Okorie
Abuja (Precise Post) – The Presidency on Sunday debunks allegation of bias along religious or ethnic line as being speculated in some quarters as reason why Justice Monica S. Dongban-Mensem has not been confirmed as President of the Court of Appeal, saying it is about security and law enforcement agencies being allowed to complete their work.
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 not to be perceived as discriminating against parts of the country.
Similarly, Engr Buba Galadima while appearing on Democracy Today, on AIT programme last week, queried why it is taking President Muhammadu Buhari long time to confirm the appointment of Justice Monica S. Dongban-Mensem as President of Court of Appeal.
A statement issued by presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Sunday night explained that “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
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 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 of the Court of Appeal, Her Lordship Justice M. S Dongban-Mensem, the statutory months
