22nd August, 2011
President Goodluck Jonathan has approved the appointment of Hon. Justice Dalhatu Adamu as Acting President of Court of Appeal.
The new appointment was contained in statement signed by Reuben Abati, Special Adviser to the President on media and publicity Sunday evening.
It was also indicated in the statement that Justice Adamu will act in the position pending when all issues relating to the office of the President of the Court of Appeal are resolved.
It will be recalled that the incumbent President of Court of Appeal, Justice Issa Ayo Salami was suspended last Thursday by the National Judiciary Council, NJC.
The Council had also recommended that the President should retire the President of the Court of Appeal. Justice Salami has however filed an a suit to stop the suspension and to stop the President from acting on the recommendation in court.
The full statement on the appointment of the Acting President of Court of Appeal reads: “President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is in receipt of a correspondence dated 18th August, 2011, from the National Judicial Council (NJC), recommending the compulsory retirement of Hon. Justice Isa Ayo Salami, OFR, for misconduct in accordance with the provisions of Section 292 (1) (a) (i) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, and Rule 1 (1) of the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Consequently, President Jonathan, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by Section 238 (4) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, has approved the acting appointment of Hon. Justice Dalhatu Adamu to perform the functions of the office of the President of the Court of Appeal pending when all issues relating to the office of the President of the Court of Appeal are resolved”, it was concluded in the statement.