Politics
Constitution Review: some judicial amendment proposals lack utilitarian values – JB Daudu
Constitution Review: Some judicial amendment proposals lack utilitarian values – JB Daudu
Constitution
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), JB Daudu, says some of the judicial proposals submitted to the National Assembly for review lack utilitarian values.
Daudu made the assertion in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday in Abuja.
“One of these proposals is the judicial resignation and succession protocol that regulates resignation procedures for Justices and Judges to avoid abrupt and destabilizing departures.
“This is a typical example of institutional idleness.
“How can these transfer mechanisms be observed in the event of sudden death, resignation as a result of grave illness, or even sudden resignation as a result of compelling personal reasons?
“Such eventualities and their after effect cannot be regulated upon,’’ the learned silk added.
He argued that the proponents of this amendment lose sight of the fact that these courts are courts of record, and that it is not the Chief Judge or any other Head of Court that is the record keeper.
“Indeed, the records are kept by the chief registrar and his coterie of registrars and clerks, who are civil servants and are permanent features in the establishment’’.
He said that another wild goose chase proposal is that there should be mandatory National Judicial Council (NJC) investigations before the removal of heads of court.
“It is thought that there is a problem with the provisions of Section 292(1)(a)(i) &(ii) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which forbids the removal of judicial officers, especially heads of court, by Governors and Houses of Assembly without recourse first and foremost to NJC investigation.
“This proposal, it is thought, will institutionalize fair hearing rights, ensure due process, and insulate judicial officers from arbitrary removal’’.
He noted that the proposal is the most curious of the proposed amendments as it does not introduce any new position to the state of affairs.
“This is because Section 292(1)(a)(i) & (iì) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) already requires the input of the NJC before a head of court can be removed.
“The solution to acts of executive recklessness and lawlessness of attempts by governors to use their puppet houses of assembly to remove sitting chief judges is not because the present constitution does not forbid it.
“It is because of the attitudinal disposition of some governors to power. We will always have people who, in their drunkenness, will interpret the Constitution in ways and manners that suit their ego or political calculations.
“Consequently, amending the constitution in the manner suggested will not serve any useful purpose,’’ he added.
On the suggestion that the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) should have an input in the removal of Judges, Daudu submitted that the proposal is a non-starter.
“It has already failed. This is because the only amendment needed is to allow the five members nominated by the NBA to participate in matters relating to the discipline of Judges.
“I have for years advocated for the removal of the provision in the constitution that limits lawyers from participating in the removal of judicial officers.“
He also frowned on any hindrances to judicial continuity and stability.
The proposal in this regard seeks to empower newly elevated judges to conclude part-heard criminal matters rather than starting afresh, thereby saving judicial time and avoiding injustice.
The proposal ignores the practical realities and the injustice associated with a judge who has left the services of a court and has taken the oath of office of another court hierarchy to return to the court from which he had been elevated.
“It is submitted that no amount of constitutional amendment will cure that abnormality and aberration.
“It is better to defer the swearing in of an appointed or promoted judge until he has completed all his part-heard matters than to cause such a judicial personnel to return to a court that he has exited from.
“No one seems to consider the psyche of all the parties concerned, no matter how it is couched’’.
He said that a constitution is a very serious document that should lay out the basic and indeed, fundamental rules for the governance of the country.
“It is not a factory manual on work and safety regulations. Our legislators should accord the constitution more seriousness than they are presently doing,’’ he said.
*Renewed Hope Ambassadors Step Into the Next Phase
Fresh from the successful APC 2026 National Convention, the Renewed Hope Ambassadors National, Zonal, and State leadership gathered in Abuja over the weekend, for its fourth strategic meeting, setting the tone for nationwide grassroots activation ahead of 2027.
Chaired by Governor Hope Uzodinma (Imo State) the Director General and National Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors, alongside Deputy Director-General, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, and Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State as Secretary, the session reinforced one clear direction: One Party. One Message. One Mobilization whilst also laying out a strategic roadmap for the activation of the network across all communities in Nigeria.
Backed by the strength of 31 APC-led states, the Renewed Hope Agenda is taking Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s message of progress and reform to every corner of Nigeria.
From bold economic restructuring to initiatives like NELFUND, the increase in the national minimum wage from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000, and strategic investments in critical sectors, including PNiCGI, the mission remains clear: helping Nigerians understand both the purpose and the progress of the Renewed Hope vision.
This is coordination at scale. This is grassroots engagement with purpose. This is the next phase of Renewed Hope with One Party, One Message, and One Mobilisation framework
#RenewedHopeAmbassadors #APC #WeAreAPC
Governor Bago Inaugurates APC Digital Media Sub-Committee Ahead of National Convention.
Governor Umaru Bago has inaugurated the Digital Media Sub-Committee for the forthcoming National Convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC), scheduled to hold on March 27 and 28, 2026 in Abuja.
Chairing the sub-committee, Governor Bago tasked members with the responsibility of effectively communicating the party’s manifesto to the public.
He emphasized the need to leverage social media platforms to highlight the achievements and ongoing efforts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, noting that communication gaps have posed challenges that must now be decisively addressed.
The Co-Chair of the sub-committee, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, echoed the Governor’s position, urging members to project the activities of both the party and the government to a broader audience.
He called for a deliberate and coordinated effort to showcase the party’s achievements and policy direction, stressing the importance of shaping a compelling and consistent narrative across all digital platforms.
Delivering a presentation to the committee, Otega Ogra, SSA to the President on New Media, who serves as Secretary of the sub-committee, outlined strategic focus areas to guide the team’s operations.
His presentation highlighted communication priorities and actionable steps to achieve the committee’s mandate and strengthen the party’s digital engagement.
VP Shettima Set to Lead Delegation to Zamfara as Governor Dauda Lawal Formally Joins APC
The Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has finalized plans to receive Vice President Kashim Shettima for the formal defection and reception of Governor Dauda Lawal into the ruling party, scheduled to take place on Tuesday.
State APC Chairman, Tukur Danfulani Maikatako, disclosed this during a high-level stakeholders’ meeting held in Gusau, the state capital. He noted that the Vice President would be joined by the party’s national leadership to mark what he described as a landmark political realignment in the state.
Maikatako expressed the party’s excitement over Governor Lawal’s return, recalling that Zamfara had historically been an APC stronghold and that the Governor was previously a bona fide member of the party before his earlier exit.
“We all know that Zamfara has long been one of the APC’s stronghold states, where the defected Governor was once a bona fide member. Now that he has decided to return home, having been satisfied that the APC remains his second choice after the one he left for obvious reasons,” Maikatako stated.
The Chairman called on all party faithful across the 147 wards in the state’s 14 local government areas to turn out en masse to honour the Vice President’s visit. He emphasized that the event was strategically positioned to bolster the party’s popularity and strengthen its structures ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a strong appeal for unity, Maikatako urged members to set aside all factional tendencies, stressing that the APC remained one political family with shared goals, particularly the ambition to make Zamfara and Nigeria great again.
Echoing similar sentiments, a former state APC Chairman, Lawal M. Liman, appealed to members to cascade the message to their wards and local government areas. He reinforced the need for cohesion, noting that the party’s collective strength would be critical to achieving success in future elections.
All eyes are now on Gusau as the ruling party prepares for a high-profile political gathering expected to further consolidate its influence in Zamfara State.
-
society6 months agoReligion: Africa’s Oldest Weapon of Enslavement and the Forgotten Truth
-
news4 months agoWHO REALLY OWNS MONIEPOINT? The $290 Million Deal That Sold Nigeria’s Top Fintech to Foreign Interests
-
society6 months ago“You Are Never Without Help” – Pastor Gebhardt Berndt Inspires Hope Through Empower Church (Video)
-
celebrity radar - gossips2 months agoDr. Chris Okafor Returns with Power and Fire of the Spirit -Mounts Grace Nation Altar with Fresh Anointing and Restoration Grace on February 1, 2026