Olukayode Ariwoola was instructed to address the petition against the high court judge by CJN

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Olukayode Ariwoola, has been encouraged by Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) to handle a petition that has been filed against a potential high court judge in Niger State.

In order to assess whether or not the petition has validity, MURIC is requesting a prompt review of it.

The Islamic organization made this disclosure in a statement released on Friday by its director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

This occurs just hours after the Senate on Wednesday approved the appointment of Justice Ariwoola to the position of Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).

Part of the statement from MURIC said, “A petition dated March 17, 2022, signed by one Ibrahim Shehu, a Nigerian citizen, was presented to the office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and chairman National Judicial Council (NJC) against a potential high court judge of Niger State.

“Even though the petition was officially received at exactly 10:46 a.m. on March 18, 2022, in the CJN’s office, and despite the submission of at least two reminders on July 5, 2022, and July 25, 2022, the petitioner has gotten no response to date.

“According to Ibrahim Shehu, the petitioner, the applicant claimed to have been born on April 4, 1964, but according to the information he provided to the Nigeria Law School, he was actually born on April 4, 1962. The petitioner further disclosed that the candidate for high court judge was admitted to the bar on January 24, 1998.

Therefore, the petitioner asked the NJC to fully investigate the applicant and take appropriate action.

“Just as those who seek equity must do so with spotless hands, so too must those who oversee it. The general populace’s last resort is the judicial system. If persons of dubious moral standing are permitted to sit on committees that decide the fate of the populace, that hope will turn into unending dissatisfaction. These judges are the ones who offer justice for sale in the sacred space.

“Having presented convincing evidence of irregularities in the applicant’s documentation, we are adamant that the highly regarded NJC should consider the petition’s merit or detriment and respond promptly and honorably. We must remove the bad apples before they damage the reputation of the judiciary. No “black sheep” should be permitted to enter the courts, according to the NJC, the group claimed.