- Apex Court To Now Have Full Compliments Of 21 Justices As Constitutionally Approved
- Appoints 1 Court Of Appeal Justice, Six Heads Of Courts, 26 Other Judicial Officers
The National Judicial Council (NJC) has finally unveiled the 11 successful Justices for appointment to the bench of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
The council on Wednesday evening made the recommendation along with one Justice for the Court of Appeal, six Heads of Courts and 26 other Judicial Officers
The new Justices for the apex court were unveiled by the NJC at its 104 meeting on December 6, 2023, held in Abuja.
The Matrix had earlier reported that with 10 justices on the bench of the apex court, there has been tension that the Supreme Court has the lowest number of justices in the history of the country.
Speaking at the valedictory court session for Justice Musa Dattijo who recently attained the mandatory retirement age of 70 years, the Chairman of the Council and Chief Justice of Nigeria CJN, Olukayode Ariwoola had raised alarm that the Supreme Court now has 10 justices on its bench.
“With Justice Musa Dattijo leaving us today after the retirement of Justice Adamu Augie a few weeks ago, we are now left with just 10 Justices on the Supreme Court Bench; being the lowest we have ever had in the contemporary history of the court.
“However, I can confidently assure all the litigant public that efforts are in top gear to get on board a sizeable number of Justices to boost our rank and complement the tremendous effort we have been investing in the business of the Court.”
It was, therefore, great excitement that greeted the unveiling of the new 11 Justices to make the total number of Justices on the bench 21, which is the constitutionally prescribed full complements.
A statement by the NJC Director of Information, Mr Soji Oye, listed those recommended to include Justices Justices Jummai Hannatu Sankey, Chidiebere Nwaoma Uwa, Chioma Egondu Nwosu-Iheme Haruna Simon Tsammani and Moore Aseimo A. Adumein.
The rest are Justices Obande Festus Ogbuiny Stephen Jonah Adah, Habeeb Adewale O. Abiru, Jamilu Yammama Tukur, Abubakar Sadiq Umarand Mohammed Baba Idris.
Also recommended for appointment is one Justice for the Court of Appeal, six Heads of Courts, and 26 other Judicial Officers.
Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed of the Federal High Court in Abuja was elevated to the Court of Appeal.
Others recommended for appointments include:
Justice Joel Filibus Agya as Chief Judge for Taraba State
Justice Umar Abubakar as Chief Judge for Kebbi State
Hon. Kadi Sadiq Usman Mukhtar as Grand Kadi for the Sharia Court of Appeal, Kebbi State.
Justice A. O. Femi-Segun emerged as President, Customary Court of Appeal for Ogun State, Justice Alfred Yakubu as President, Customary Court of Appeal for Taraba
Tajudeen M. Abdulganiyu as President, Customary Court of Appeal for Oyo State.
Amaebi Ibomo Orukari received a recommendation for appointment as Bayelsa High Court Judge. Akinyemi Martins Ayodele was recommended for Ogun State High Court, and three others—Ama Edet Ekpo, Theresa Ansa Agom, and Jalarth Ogar Agim—for the High Court of Cross River State.
Three Kadis were recommended for Zamfara Sharia Court of Appeal, including Aminu Abdullahi Gusau, Usman Hassan Gummi, and Hadi Sani.
The NJC statement indicated that two Kadis were appointed for Nasarawa State Sharia Court of Appeal, namely Abubakar Ahmad Tijjani and Aliyu Ibrahim Ebbema.
Also recommended are nine persons for Kano State High Court, including Fatima Adamu, Hauwa Lawal Umar, Musa Ahmad, Musa Daihuru Mohammed, Farida Rabiu Danbappa, Halima Aliyu Nasir, Aisha Mahmoud, Adam Abdullahi, and Hanif Sanusi Yusuf.
Nasarawa State High Court received four nominees, comprising Esther Mami Ejeh, Ibrahim Dauda Shekarau, Musa Muhammad Dallah, and Makama Tanze Benjamin.
Two Judges were recommended for appointment to the Ogun State Customary Court of Appeal: Awoyomi Bolanle Adenike and Lawal Adeniyi Olusanya, while one was recommended for the Bayelsa State Customary Court of Appeal: Opokuma David Lawrence.
The statement added that all recommended candidates for the Supreme Court Bench would be sworn in after the approval of their recommendation by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the subsequent confirmation of their appointment by the Senate.
Similarly, the various heads of court recommended would be sworn in upon the approval of their appointments by their respective state governors and the subsequent confirmation by their State Houses of Assembly.
