The National Judicial Council has dismissed reports claiming that 34 lawyers failed an integrity test and were disqualified from consideration for appointment as judges of the Federal High Court.
The Council described the report circulating on social and conventional media as inaccurate and unauthorised, stating that it does not reflect what actually occurred during the selection process.
According to the NJC, all the processes referenced in the report were carried out exclusively by the Federal Judicial Service Commission, and no decision has been taken by the Council regarding the affected candidates.
It explained that some candidates were dropped at the FJSC stage due to adverse findings from petitions submitted against them, while others failed to advance because they did not meet the qualifying score required to proceed to the interview stage before the NJC.
The Council clarified that there is no newly introduced or stand-alone integrity test whose failure automatically disqualified candidates, contrary to claims in the report.
It stressed that the judicial appointment process remains structured, merit-based, and multi-layered, involving written examinations, performance benchmarks, background checks, review of petitions where applicable, and interviews conducted in line with established guidelines.
The NJC expressed concern that the publication of inaccurate and speculative information could mislead the public and unfairly damage the reputation of candidates who participated in the process in good faith.
It added that internal investigations have begun to identify the source of the unauthorised report, noting that appropriate steps will be taken to protect the integrity and credibility of its procedures.
The Council reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, fairness, due process, and the highest standards of judicial integrity, while urging the media to seek clarification through authorised channels before publishing reports on sensitive institutional matters.
