The Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, in Zamfara State, Alhaji Sani Shinkafi, has blamed the National Judicial Council, NJC, led by the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Tanko Muhammad of shielding a judge accused of engaging in acts of judicial misconduct.

Shinkafi berated the NJC for failing to act on a petition that was lodged against a judge of Zamfara State High Court who allegedly misconduct himself and assumed jurisdiction over a political case marked ZMS/GS/52/2018, which pertained to the last governorship election in the state.

According to the APGA candidate, though his petition was received by the office of the Acting CJN on February 26, he said the NJC abandoned its investigation midway and referred the case back to the Chief Judge of Zamfara State for settlement.

He said the decision for the matter to be returned to Zamfara State was taken by the Acting CJN and communicated to him via a letter that was signed by Secretary of the NJC, Mr. Gambo Saleh.

Dissatisfied with the action of the NJC, Shinkafi, in a fresh petition to the Acting CJN, said he was dismayed that such attempt was made to sweep issues he raised before the legal body, under the carpet.

In the letter he addressed to the Acting CJN, Shinkafi said: “With utmost respect to Your Lordship, my complaint against Justice Bello Shinkafi was not on administrative grounds that the Chief Judge may have the leverage of interfering, the complaint was against a Judicial Officer who did not only misuse his power as a judge but drastically somersaulted and made fun of the whole judicial process and adjudicative procedures.”