ABUJA – Indications emerged, Thursday that despite the ultimatum handed to her by the Nigerian Senate, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Mariam Aloma Murktar, may have resolved to stick to her earlier decision not to administer oath of office on one of the newly appointed justices for the Court of Appeal.
It would be recalled that Justice Murktar, who is the first female to attain the revered position of a CJN, had on November 5, declined to swear-in Justice Ifeoma Jombo-Ofo alongside eleven others, despite the fact that her appointment was duly approved by both President Goodluck Jonathan and the National Judicial Council, NJC.
Justice Jombo-Ofo's swearing-in was suspended owing to a petition which is allegedly querying the propriety of allowing her to ascend to the appellate court bench on the slot reserved for Abia state, where her husband hails from.
It was the contention of the petitioners that going by the prevailing judicial policy in the country, she lacked the locus to take the slot meant for her state of marriage, but can only ascend to the Appeal Court bench if nominated by her own state of origin, Anambra State.
