The National Judicial Council (NJC) on Thursday denied reports claiming that 34 lawyers failed an “integrity test” and were dropped from consideration for appointment as judges of the Federal High Court.
In a statement shared with PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday, the NJC Secretary, Ahmed Gambo Saleh, described the reports circulating on social and conventional media as inaccurate and unauthorised, insisting that it did not reflect what transpired during the judicial appointment process.
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The council said the processes referenced in the report were conducted entirely by the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) and not by the NJC, stressing that it had not taken any decision or action regarding any of the candidates mentioned.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the processes referenced in the report were conducted entirely at the level of the Federal Judicial Service Commission, and no decision or action has yet been taken by the National Judicial Council in respect of the candidates concerned,” Mr Saleh said.
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The NJC explained that while some candidates were discontinued at the FJSC stage due to adverse findings arising from petitions received by the commission, others did not progress because they failed to attain the qualifying score required to advance to the interview stage before the council.
It rejected claims that a stand-alone or newly introduced “integrity test” was conducted to disqualify candidates, noting that judicial appointments follow an established, merit-based process.
According to the council, the process includes written examinations, performance benchmarks, background checks, consideration of petitions where applicable, and interviews conducted in line with approved guidelines.
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The NJC warned that the publication of speculative or inaccurate information could mislead the public and unfairly damage the reputation of candidates who participated in the process in good faith.
It added that internal investigations had commenced to identify the source of the unauthorised report and that appropriate steps would be taken to safeguard the integrity and credibility of its procedures.
The council reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, fairness and due process, and urged media organisations to seek clarification through authorised channels before publishing reports on sensitive institutional matters.
Background
The NJC’s response followed reports suggesting that no fewer than 34 lawyers nominated for appointment as judges of the Federal High Court had been disqualified following adverse findings from petitions submitted during a public feedback process.
The reports said the affected nominees were among 62 candidates who earlier passed a Computer-Based Test conducted by the Federal High Court and were subsequently forwarded to the Federal Judicial Service Commission for further consideration.
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In September, the FJSC published the names of the 62 nominees and invited members of the public to submit verifiable information on their integrity, reputation and suitability within 14 days, warning that adverse findings could affect their chances of appointment.
Following the exercise, several petitions were reportedly received, prompting further scrutiny of some nominees. Media reports cited documents and investigative outcomes indicating that some nominees failed to meet the required integrity threshold, while others were said to have fallen short of performance benchmarks.
At the end of the screening process, 28 nominees were reportedly cleared and forwarded to the NJC for the next phase of the appointment exercise.
The spokesperson for the NJC, Kemi Ogedegbe, told PREMIUM TIMES on Monday that the council is scheduled to meet between 13 and 14 January to deliberate on issues arising from the screening of shortlisted candidates.
Ms Ogedegbe said the 28 nominees would appear before the council’s interview panel ahead of the meeting.
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