THE National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended the appointment of 11 justices to the Supreme Court.
The council also recommended one justice of the Court of Appeal, six heads of courts and 26 other judicial officers to President Bola Tinubu for approval.
A statement by the apex court’s Director of Information, Soji Oye, said the recommendation was made at the 104th meeting of the council in Abuja on Wednesday, December 6.
According to the statement, the recommended candidates would be sworn in sequel to the approval of their recommendation by Tinubu and the subsequent confirmation of their appointment by the Senate.
In October, The ICIR reported concerns over a drop in Nigerian Supreme Court justices, coming short of the court’s full complement of 21 justices as stipulated in the Constitution.
The number had decreased to 10 after the retirement of a justice, Musa Dattijo Muhammad, on October 26, 2023.
However, with the appointment of the recommended candidates, the Supreme Court will have the full complement of 21 justices, as enshrined in the Constitution.
Below are the eleven (11) justices recommended by the NJC for the Supreme Court bench:
Justice Jummai Hannatu Sankey
Justice Chidiebere Nwaoma Uwa
Justice Chioma Egondu Nwosu-Iheme
Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani
Justice Moore Aseimo A. Adumein
Justice Obande Festus Ogbuinya
Justice Stephen Jonah Adah
Justice Habeeb Adewale O. Abiru
Justice Jamilu Yammama Tukur
Hon. Justice Abubakar Sadiq Umar
Justice Mohammed Baba Idris
The NJC recommended Mohammed Ahmed Ramat as the Court of Appeal Justice.
It also recommended candidates for various heads of courts across states, such as Taraba, Kebbi, Ogun, Zamfara, Nasarawa, Bayelsa, Kano and Oyo.
“The various heads of court recommended would also be sworn-in upon the approval of their appointment by their various state governors and subsequent confirmation of same by their respective state Houses of Assembly.”
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M