The name of Justice John Tsoho, the Acting Chief Judge of the Federal High Court Abuja, is not missing as a member of the National Judicial Council (NJC), official website has revealed.
A visit to the website; www.njc.gov.ng by our reporter revealed that the name of Justice Tsoho, including his photograph, was on number 7 in the list of NJC’s members.
The development was contrary to the report by a national daily newspaper that Justice Tsoho’s name was conspicuously absent from the council’s list.
It would be recalled that NJC is the body statutorily empowers to see to the appointment and disciplining of Nigerian judges.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Tanko Mohammad, who is the chairman of NJC, was first in the list of members on the website.
It was followed by Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour of the Supreme Court, who is the deputy chairman of NJC.
When contacted in a telephone interview on how true was the report, Mr Soji Oye, the NJC’s Director of Information, said the information that Justice Tsoho’s name was not in the council’s list was untrue.
“You can go to our website on www.njc.gov.ng; do investigative journalism, and check yourself and see whether the report is true or false.
“There is nothing wrong. Justice John Tsoho’s name has always been there,” he said.
Members of the body as listed on the NJC’s website is as follow: Justice Mohammed Tanko, Chairman of the council; Justice Bode Rhode-Viviour, Deputy Chairman; Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, President, Court of Appeal; Justice E.O Ayoola, retired judge of the Supreme Court and former chairman, ICPC; Justice Umaru Abdulahi, JCA, former President, Court of Appeal; Justice V.O.A Omaga, retired judge of the Court of Appeal.
It also include Justice John Tehemba Tsoho, Acting Chief Judge, Federal High Court; Justice Benedict Bakwaph Kanyip, Acting President, National Industrial Court; Justice Ishaq Bello, Chief Judge, High Court of the FCT, among others.
It would be recalled that Justice John Tsoho assumed his new role as acting CJ on July 26, following the retirement of his predecessor, Justice Adamu Abdu-Kafarati.