Senate confirms Buhari nominees Ekanem, Magaji as members of Judicial Service Commission

The Senate, on Wednesday, confirmed the nominations of Nnamonso Ekanem and Mahmoud Abubakar Magaji as members of the Federal Judicial Service Commission.

The nominees who are from Akwa Ibom and Niger States are to represent the South-South and North-Central zone on the Commission, respectively.

The confirmation of both nominees followed the consideration of a report by the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters.

Chairman of the Committee, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, in his presentation, said their nominations were made by President Muhammadu Buhari pursuant to Section 154, subsections (1) and (3) in conformity with Paragraph 12 (e) of the Third Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

According to the lawmaker, the nominees “are fit and proper persons for appointment as Members of the Federal Judicial Service Commission.”

He disclosed that there was no petition or adverse report against the nominees, adding that, “record checks and other forms of investigations by security agencies did not reveal any negative trace against them.”

Bamidele expressed satisfaction with the qualifications, experience, competence and integrity of the nominees as Members of the Commission.

In a related development, the Senate has forwarded President Buhari’s request for the confirmation of four nominees as Commissioners for the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to the Committee on Power.

The nominees who are to appear before the panel for screening include Dr. Yusuf Ali (North Central), Engr. Chidi Ike (South East), Mr. Nathan Shatti (North East) and Mr. Dafe Akpeneye (South South).

The Committee was given two weeks by the Senate President Ahmad Lawan to report back to the chamber in plenary.

Meanwhile, the chamber, on Wednesday, stepped down the consideration of a report by the Committee on Aviation on the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (Establishment) Bill, 2021.

Chairman of the Committee, Senator Smart Adeyemi, gave a presentation on the report.

The consideration of the report was, however, suspended midway after the lawmakers identified a “mix-up in the Committee’s report on the bill.

The motion for the report to be stepped down was moved by the Deputy Whip, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (Niger North) and seconded by Ahmad Babba Kaita (Katsina North).