By Andy Asemota
The Senate has confirmed the appointment of Justice Salisu Garba Abdullahi as the Chief Judge of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja.

This is the sequel to the consideration and approval of the report of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters on the confirmation of the nomination of Abdullahi in the plenary of the Red Chamber presided over by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan.

The committee chairman, Senator Michael Opeyemi, in the report, expressed satisfaction with the composure, qualification, and experience of Abdullahi to occupy the office of the FCT Chief Judge.

Bamidele noted that the Senate on Tuesday, 20th April 2021, deliberated on President Muhammad Buhari’s request for the confirmation and referred the request to the committee for further legislative action, and mandated it to report back its decision on the confirmation.

Senate confirms Justice Abdullahi as Chief Judge FCT High Court

He explained that the appointment of Abdullahi was made to fill the vacant position of the chief judge of FCT which became vacant upon the retirement of the erstwhile Chief Judge, Justice Ishaq Usman Bello, who attained the mandatory retirement age of years on 5th January 2021, in line with the provision of section 291(2) of the 1999 constitution as amended.

According to him, Abdullahi, being the most senior judge on the bench of the High Court of the FCT, was appointed acting chief judge of the court on 6th January, 2021, before his eventual nomination by President Buhari as a chief judge designate.