NJC Refutes Reports of ‘Integrity Test’ Mass Disqualification for Federal High Court Judges
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The National Judicial Council (NJC) has officially clarified that it has not taken any final action regarding the 62 legal practitioners applying for appointment as judges of the Federal High Court of Nigeria. The Council debunked recent media reports claiming that 34 candidates were dropped after failing a purported “integrity test,” describing such information as inaccurate, speculative, and unauthorized by the NJC.
In a statement released on Thursday by the NJC Secretary, Malam Ahmed Gambo Saleh, Esq., the Council emphasized that the processes cited in the media occurred exclusively at the level of the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC), not the NJC. The Council stressed that no decision or action has been taken by the NJC in respect of the candidates concerned.
The NJC explained that while some candidates did not progress beyond the FJSC stage, the reasons were specific and procedural. A few candidates were discontinued due to adverse findings arising from petitions submitted to the Commission, while others failed to attain the required qualifying score to move to the interview stage before the NJC. Crucially, the Council clarified that there is no stand-alone or newly introduced “integrity test” that automatically disqualified candidates in bulk.
The judicial appointment framework was described as a structured, merit-based, and multi-layered process involving written examinations, performance benchmarks, background checks, and formal interviews. The NJC expressed deep concern that the publication of speculative information could mislead the public and unfairly damage the professional reputations of candidates who participated in good faith.
Consequently, the Council has launched an internal investigation to identify the source of the unauthorized press statement. Reaffirming its commitment to transparency and due process, the NJC urged media practitioners to verify sensitive institutional matters through authorized channels before publication to safeguard the integrity of judicial procedures.
By PRNigeria
