Senate screens Musdapher, to increase A’Court justices

Posted by admin Judiciary, Legislature, Senate Wednesday, September 21st, 2011

Senate will today screen the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Dahiru Musdapher in line with section 231(1) of the amended 1999 Nigerian Constitution, just as the chamber considered President Goodluck Jonathan’s request to increase the number of Appeal Court judges from 70 to 90.

Chairman of Information, Media and Public Affairs Committee, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe told Senate correspondents that the screening would be done in plenary.
Senate will also screen the remaining ministerial nominee from Taraba State, Mr Darius Dickson Ishaka.

Senate President, David Mark has also bemoaned the implementation of the N4.69 trillion 2011 budget, describing it as “below expectation.”
Last week, President Goodluck Jonathan formally requested the Senate to confirm the appointment of Musdapher as the nation’s CJ.
Musdapher, who was recommended by the National Judicial Council (NJC) to replace Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu, who retired as Chief Justice of Nigeria on August 28 has since been sworn-in in acting capacity.

Ishaka’s nomination by President Jonathan followed the rejection of Dr. Obadiah Ando by the Senate as the representative of Taraba State in the Federal Executive Council.
Meanwhile, an act to amend the Court of Appeal Act 2005 to increase the number of justices of the Court of Appeal from 70 to 90 passed second reading yesterday.

Leading debate on the request, Senate leader, Victor Ndoma Egba (SAN) observed that the need for the amendment was necessitated by the creation of additional divisions throughout the country and the exigencies of clearing the various election petitions arising from the 2011 elections, which the present Justices could not cope with.

He said the newly created divisions of the court lacked adequate manpower to handle the numerous cases before them.
Egba listed the newly created divisions to include the Owerri, Sokoto, Ilorin and Calabar divisions.
Also, yesterday, the Senate President restated the resolve of the National Assembly to put stringent measures in place as checks on the Executive to ensure a faithful implementation of the Appropriation Act.

The Senate President said this when he played host to the Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, in Abuja yesterday.
He stressed that “whatever item that entered into the 2012 budget must be the one that could be implemented faithfully.

The implementation of the 2011 budget has not been the best but we will get it right in 2012. Whatever we appropriate in 2012 must be implemented. No more excuses.”
Senator Mark however did not absolve the legislature of responsibility, but stressed that whatever item that gets approved in 2012 must be implemented.
He abhorred the annual ritual of budgeting without implementation, stressing that 2012 would be a different ball game.
Senator Mark said that the National Assembly welcomes constructive criticisms but must be the kind that would engender progress and development.

He assured of the readiness of the National Assembly to commence review of the constitution which he promised will focus on areas that would stabilize that nation and promote democracy.
He said; “The 7th Senate have resolved to amend the constitution in order to bring development, good governance and address those grey areas in the constitution for the benefit of all citizens.”

Earlier, the governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi requested the National Assembly to consider his state in the proposed amendment of the constitution especially as it relates to revenue allocation, true Federalism and devolution of power.
He requested for more federal projects in Ekiti State just as he requested for the completion of on-going ones.
Later, Abaribe told newsmen that “if the executive keeps to its side of the bargain, the National Assembly will not fail to pass the appropriation bill before the end of December as required.
He reiterated unlike in the past, this time around there will not be any back and forth between the executive and the legislature on the budget.”

-Sunwp_posts