Bauchi NBA Rejects Gender-Based Judge Appointment Plan

The Bauchi branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has expressed opposition to a proposed plan by the Bauchi State Judiciary Service Commission to appoint seven new high court judges, with five slots allegedly reserved for women and two for men. Rabiu Garba, the chairman of the NBA Bauchi branch, raised concerns about this gender-based allocation in a public notice, citing that it contravenes Section 42(1) of the 1999 Constitution, which prohibits discrimination based on sex, ethnicity, or religion.

The NBA convened an emergency congress on May 15, 2026, to deliberate on the matter extensively. While the association commended Justice Rabi Talatu Umar, the Chief Judge of Bauchi State and chairman of the Judiciary Service Commission, for her role, they emphasized that judicial appointments should be based on integrity, competence, and capability rather than gender.

The NBA urged the commission to provide equal opportunities for qualified candidates from both the public and private legal sectors and called for a transparent recruitment process in line with Section 271(3) of the Constitution. They expect a positive response from the commission regarding their concerns and warned of further steps if the issues are not addressed.