President Bola Tinubu is contemplating the recall of a 71-year-old retired Supreme Court Justice to assume the position of Chairperson at the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), according to a Premium Times report.
The former Justice in question is Abdu Aboki, hails from Kano state.
He retired from the Supreme Court bench upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70 on August 5, 2022.
Sources within the Presidency, as cited in the report, have indicated that President Tinubu has nominated Aboki to succeed the current ICPC chair, Bolaji Owasanoye, who has approximately six months left in his five-year tenure.
Aboki’s potential appointment would mark a departure from the recent trend of favoring younger individuals to lead anti-corruption agencies. Some observers have expressed reservations about his age, contending that appointing a retiree to head a critical anti-corruption body like the ICPC may not align with the need for innovative strategies in combating evolving corruption trends.
However, proponents of Aboki’s appointment argue that his age and extensive experience within the Nigerian judiciary could be an advantage for an ICPC chairperson. Such a role involves navigating complex legal issues and addressing challenges related to the prosecution of corruption suspects, particularly high-profile cases.
Aboki’s legal journey began 38 years ago when he assumed the position of a High Court judge in the state judiciary of Kano in 1987. Prior to his judicial career, Aboki earned a degree in Law from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and completed the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program in the old Gongola State between 1977 and 1978. He subsequently attended the Nigerian Law School in Victoria Island, Lagos, and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1977.
In November 2020, Aboki, along with five others, was appointed to the Supreme Court bench after serving as a judge on the Court of Appeal for 14 years.
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