BREAKING: Buhari Names Dongban-Mensem As President Of Appeal Court

Buhari made the move after coming under intense criticisms from Nigerians including a retired colonel, Abubakar Umar.

President Muhammadu Buhari has named Monica Dongban-Mensem as substantive President of the Appeal Court in Nigeria.

Buhari made the move after coming under intense criticisms from Nigerians including a retired colonel, Abubakar Umar.

Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, announced the nomination in a statement on Monday, 8 June 2020. 

Monica Bolna’an Dongban-Mensem

 

According to the statement, Buhari had sent Dongban-Mensem’s name to the Senate for confirmation.

He said her nomination followed the recommendation of the National Judicial Commission in line with the provisions of the constitution.

Buhari had last week extended the protem appointment of Dongban-Mensem, who is a Christian, without formalising her position as substantive head of the Appellate Court.

About her:

Monica Bolna'an Dongban-Mensem was born on June 13,1957.  She is a Nigerian judge and the Acting President of the Court of Appeal of Nigeria since 5 March 2020.

Monica Dongban-Mensem is the daughter of M. B. Douglas-Mensem, a retired Appeal Court judge. She was educated at Ahmadu Bello University, where she gained a LL.B and LL.M. She then studied for a postgraduate diploma at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies in London.

After her first son, Samson Kwapda’as Dongban, died in a road accident, she founded Kwapda’as Road Safety Demand (KRSD), a road safety organisation.

On 5 March 2020 President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Dongban-Mensem as acting president of the Court of Appeal, after the retirement of Zainab Bulkachuwa. She was sworn in by Tanko Muhammad, Chief Justice of Nigeria, on 6 March 2020. 

In April 2020 the National Judicial Council recommended her to President Buhari for confirmation as Appeal Court President. The President has extended the appointment of Dongban-Memsem as the acting President of the Appeal Court for further period of three months from June 3, 2020.