Judicial Council Disqualifies 34 Lawyers From Appointment As Judges

A total of 34 lawyers nominated for appointment as judges of the Federal High Court of Nigeria (FHC) have failed the integrity test.

They were dropped from the race to become judicial officers due to public petitions against them.

The test is part of the new guidelines approved by the National Judicial Council (NJC) under the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, aimed at eliminating persons of doubtful character from being appointed as judicial officers.

The 34 legal practitioners are part of the 62 applicants nominated for the position of judges of the Federal High Court, but were disqualified due to various petitions against them during the integrity test.

A reliable source at the NJC stated that only 28 nominees who received a clean bill of health during the integrity test will now face the council’s interview panel next month.

He further told LEADERSHIP that 62 applicants passed the Computer-based Test (CBT) examination conducted by the Federal High Court, consequent upon which their names were forwarded to Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC).

However, in line with the laid down procedures, the FJSC was said to have applied the policy of integrity test endorsed by the CJN on public feedback on nominees by publishing the names of the 62.

The publication of nominees’ names on September 17, 2025, invited members of the public to submit feedback on their integrity, reputation and suitability for judicial appointments.

In one of the petitions from public feedback, a female nominee was accused of obtaining bribes in the discharge of her official duties and was referred to the Police Service Commission (PSC) for investigation.

At the end of the investigation, the commission found as a fact that the nominee demanded and received N1 million in a bribe in the course of a court matter that passed through her office.

Armed with the facts of the petition written by a lawyer against the female nominee and several others, the FJSC ultimately upheld the nomination of only 28 names, forwarding the same to the NJC and dropping the remaining 34 for failing to pass the integrity test.

Our correspondent gathered that the lucky 28 nominees would be presented to the NJC at its meeting scheduled for January 2026.

The 28 shortlisted nominees will face the NJC interview panel days before the proper meeting, which the source said would be held in the second week of next month.

When contacted for comments on the matter, the NJC Director of Information, Mrs Kemi Ogedegbe, confirmed that the council would meet between January 13 and 14 to consider issues related to the shortlisted candidates for appointments as judges of the Federal High Court.

According to her, the 28 shortlisted nominees will face the council interview panel on Monday and Tuesday, while the meeting will take place on Wednesday and Thursday.

The director, who refused to provide detailed comments on the petitions against some of the nominees, insisted that the NJC is fully determined not to lower the entry point bar, regardless of who is involved.

“You are all aware, like the general public, too, that transparency and judicial integrity have remained a top priority for the Kekere-Ekun-led administration. There is no going back on that. Merit is the only factor that would come to play during the interview and only those found suitable would have their ways,” she said.