Don’t Appoint CJN’s Son A Judge, Nullify His Recommendation — HURIWA

A civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), on Sunday, demanded the nullification of the recommendation of Olukayode Ariwoola Jnr, son of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, for appointment as a Judge of the Federal High Court.

HURIWA, in a statement on Sunday, July 23, 2023, by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, said it was an anomaly that the CJN is abusing the power of his office to elevate his son to the position of an High Court Judge.

The group asked the National Judicial Council (NJC) to immediately rescind the Junior Ariwoola’s recommendation and end any form of illegal institutionalisation of the judiciary, adding that the judiciary was not a family affair but should be based on the fulcrum of justice and fairness.

The recommendation was made at the 103rd meeting of the Council presided over by the CJN, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, in Abuja.

Recall that the NJC on July 14, 2023, recommended Ariwoola Junior for the Federal High Court bench, along with 22 others who passed the screening and interview of the Council.

All recommended candidates were expected to be sworn in after the approval of the NJC’S recommendations to the President and their respective State Governors and confirmation by their State Houses of Assembly, as the case may be.

Recall also that the incumbent CJN was sworn in on 12 October, 2022, and he is the Chairman of the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) which has the power to advise the NJC in nominating persons for appointment to the office of Judge of the Federal High Court.

Justice Ariwoola is also the NJC Chairman and he interviewed his son for the post.

“The recommendation of Ariwoola Jnr as high court judge is tainted with bias and favoritism. It is alarming that the CJN does not have the decency to recuse himself from his son’s recommendation despite the conflict of interest that already made the selection process bias,” HURIWA stated.

It added that “the judiciary is not a family inheritance and the NJC should immediately rescind the recommendation of Ariwoola Jnr for the appointment of a high court judge.”