The National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended eleven Court of Appeal Justices be elevated to the Supreme Court to cushion the shortage of judges in the Supreme Court.
The list of candidates was presented by the interview committee during the Council’s 104th meeting.
After the approval of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and confirmation by the Senate, the recommended justices will be sworn in. This will be the first time that the Supreme Court will have the full complement of 21 justices, according to Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Olukayode Ariwoola.
The number of Supreme Court Justices dropped to 10 from 13 due to the retirement of Amina Augie and Musa Dattijo Muhammad, and the death of Chima Nweze.
The process of picking the Supreme Court justices dashed the hope of some senior lawyers in practice and the academia being appointed to the apex court.
Read Also: Supreme Court Justice Shortage Worries Nigerian Senior Advocates
The recommended justices are Jummai Hannatu Sankey (Plateau, Northcentral), Chidiebere Nwaoma Uwa (Abia, Southeast), Chioma Egondu Nwosu-Iheme (Imo, Southeast), Haruna Simon Tsammani (Bauchi, Northeast), and Moore Aseimo A. Adumein (Bayelsa, Southsouth). Others are Obande Festus Ogbuinya (Ebonyi, Southeast), Stephen Jonah Adah (Kogi, Northcentral), Habeeb Adewale O. Abiru (Lagos, Southwest), Jamilu Yammama Tukur (Katsina, Northwest), Abubakar Sadiq Umar (Kebbi, Northwest), and Mohammed Baba Idris (Niger, Northcentral).
Minor changes were made to the list first sent to the NJC by the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC). The NJC replaced Justice Muhammad Lawal Shuaibu (Jigawa, Northwest), with Justice Tukur, who was not on the original list; while Justice Nwosu-Iheme, who was on the reserve list, replaced Justice Anthony Ogakwu (Enugu, Southeast).
The NJC recommended Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed for elevation to the Court of Appeal. The NJC also recommended the appointment of other heads of courts, including new Chief Judges for Taraba and Kebbi states.
The NJC put forward Justice Tajudeen M. Abdulganiyu for appointment as the President of the Customary Court of Appeal, Oyo State. It also recommended Awoyomi Bolanle Adenike and Lawal Adeniyi Olusanya as judges of the Customary Court of Appeal, Ogun State, and Opokuma David Lawrence as a judge of the Customary Court of Bayelsa State.
The various heads of court recommended would be sworn in upon the approval of their appointment by their respective state governors and subsequent confirmation of the same by their respective state Houses of Assembly.
