Buhari Names Justice Mensem Acting President Court of Appeal

March 5, 2020

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Hon. Justice M.B. Dongban Mensem as the Acting President of the Court of Appeal.

Dongban-Mensem, in 2015, headed a five-man appeal panel that upheld the ruling of the governorship election tribunal in Rivers State, which ordered the sacking of Governor Nyesom Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party and a rerun within 90 days.

The judgement was, however, upturned by the Supreme Court.

Presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, in statement on Thursday, said the appointment was for an initial period of three months, with effect from March 6, 2020, when the incumbent President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, would statutorily retire from service.

Shehu said Justice Mensem, who is the next most senior Judge of the Court of Appeal, will be acting pending when a substantive appointment to the position of the President of the Court of Appeal may be made by President Buhari subject to the confirmation of the Senate.

He said the President’s approval of the appointment of Justice Mensem, followed the recommendation of the Chief Justice of Nigeria in line with the provisions of Section 238(4) & (5) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

Dongban-Mensem is the daughter of a retired Appeal Court Justice, M.B. Douglas-Mensem.

She received both her LL.B and LL.M degrees from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria,
She has a postgraduate diploma from the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of London, Russel Square, London.

Justice Dongban-Mensem started as a registrar at the Plateau State High Court in 1979 and later became magistrate of various grades up to chief magistrate between 1981 and 1990.

From 1990 to 1993, Dongban-Mensem served as deputy chief registrar, superior courts and protocol affairs and was appointed judge, High Court of Justice, Plateau Judiciary from 1993 to 1996. On transfer from the former, she became the Judge, Federal Capital Territory Judiciary from 1997 to 2003.