NJC recommends new CCT chair

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended Mainasara Umar to President Bola Tinubu for appointment as the new Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

The recommendation was one of several decisions reached at the NJC’s 109th plenary held on Wednesday in Abuja under the chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.

The NJC’s Deputy Director of Information, Kemi Babalola-Ogedengbe, in a statement on Thursday, noted that the decision followed public complaints and a rigorous vetting process by an eight-member interview committee. He said the process was in line with the 2023 Revised NJC Guidelines and Procedural Rules for Judicial Appointments.

“Similarly, Council has also recommended Mainasara Ibrahim Kogo Umar, Esq. to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for appointment as Chairman, Code of Conduct Tribunal,” Mrs Babalola-Ogedengbe stated.

Mainasara Umar is a legal scholar and royal prince from the Kogo Royal Dynasty in Kano State.

Mr Umar holds multiple degrees and has served in various legal and advisory roles before his appointment to the tribunal. His rise reflects the growing intersection of traditional influence and judicial leadership in contemporary Nigeria.

As a reform advocate, Mr Umar has pledged to modernise the operations of the CCT and restore public trust in its mandate.

Mr Umar’s recommendation comes after months of controversy surrounding the embattled CCT Chairman, Danladi Umar.