By Ignatius Okorocha
The Senate on Tuesday received a formal request from President Muhammadu Buhari for the confirmation of the Acting President of the Court of Appeal, Monica Dongban-Mensem.
Buhari’s request was contained in a letter read on the floor during plenary by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan.
The letter reads: “Pursuant to Section 238(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), I write to request for confirmation by the Senate, the appointment of Honourable Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem as the President of the Court of Appeal of Nigeria.
“It is my hope that the Senate will consider and confirm the nominee in the usual expeditious manner.”
Similarly, the upper chamber has confirmed the appointments of the Chairman and two Members of the Nigerian Law Reform Commission.
The confirmation of the nominees followed the consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters.
Chairman of the Committee, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC – Ekiti Central) in his presentation recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari made the appointments pursuant to Section 2(1) and (2) of the Nigerian Law Reform Commission Act.
According to him, the panel resolved to defer the screening of one of the nominees, Hon. Ebele Bernard Chima, as a Commissioner representing South-East on the Commission following his failure to appear before the committee.
The Senate while adopting the recommendations of the Committee, thereafter confirmed the appointment of Prof. Jummai A.M. Audi (North-Central) as Chairman of the Nigerian Law Reform Commission.
It also confirmed Barr. Bassey Dan-Abia (South-South); and Hon. Mohammed B.O. Ibraheem (South-West) as Commissioners.
The Upper Chamber also confirmed the nominations of Mrs. Diana Okonta (South-South); and Mrs. Ya’ana Talib Yaro (North-East) as Non-Executive Directors of the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC).
The appointment of both nominees were approved after the Senate considered the report of the Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions.
