The National Judicial Council (NJC) has disowned reports credited to it in social media that it was unaware of or did not receive a nomination list for Supreme Court vacancies from the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC).
Its Director of Information, Barrister Soji Oye, clarified on Sunday that he has yet to discuss the list of Justice-nominees with anybody.
He described the social media reports as deliberate handiwork of mischiefmakers.
Oye insisted that reports on such matters are always by an official press statement from the Council through his office.
He cautioned against unverified reports circulating on social media regarding Supreme Court nominations and the process being followed to fill vacancies on the bench.
It will be recalled that reports stated that the FJSC released 22 names for NJC’s consideration to fill vacancies at the Apex Court bench.
The nomination reportedly includes the regional distribution of candidates across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones.
According to the report, the nomination of Justices for the bench followed complaints in September that the Supreme Court was operating with only 10 out of its constitutional strength of 21 Justices.
Based on the depletions of Justices due to retirement and deaths, it was reported that the FJSC subsequently submitted a shortlist to address the vacant positions.
Oye warned that the media, especially social media operators, should always get their information from rightful sources and not misinform the general public on Supreme Court nominations and the process being followed to fill vacancies on the bench.
Mischief-makers behind purported Supreme Court Justices’ nomination list – NJC
