THIRTY FOUR FEDERAL HIGH COURT JUDGE NOMINEES FAIL INTEGRITY TEST, DISQUALIFIED

In a sweeping move to sanitize the judiciary, thirty-four lawyers nominated for appointment as Judges of the Federal High Court have been disqualified after failing a newly enforced integrity test. The National Judicial Council, under the leadership of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, approved the guidelines designed to ensure only candidates of unquestionable character become judicial officers.

Out of sixty-two nominees, only twenty-eight passed the rigorous screening and will now proceed to face the NJC interview panel next month. The disqualifications follow a public feedback process initiated after the nominees’ names were published on September 17, 2025.

One petition, which led to a major investigation, alleged that a female nominee demanded and received a one-million-naira bribe in the course of her official duties. The matter was referred to the Police Service Commission for investigation. The Police Service Commission investigated and confirmed the allegation. A statement on the process confirmed, “At the end of the investigation, the Police Service Commission found as a fact that the female nominee actually demanded and received one Million Naira bribe in the course of a Court matter that passed through her office.”

Based on these findings and other feedback from the public, the Federal Judicial Service Commission upheld the nomination of only 28 candidates and dropped the remaining 34.

NJC Director of Information, Kemi Ogedegbe, confirmed the next steps, stating that the Council will meet between January 13 and 14, 2026, with interviews for the shortlisted nominees taking place earlier that week. She emphasized the Council’s unwavering commitment to high standards, saying, “the NJC remains determined not to lower the entry bar, regardless of who is involved.”

The shortlisted nominees are scheduled to be presented to the NJC at its meeting in January 2026.