The National Judicial Council has recommended to President Muhammadu Buhari the appointment of four new Justices to the Supreme Court.
The NJC, with the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice I. T. Muhammad, as chairman, took the decision at its meeting held on October 22 and 23, 2019.
This followed the consideration of the list of candidates presented by its Interview Committee.
It this recommended to Buhari and the Governors of Edo, Ondo, Akwa Ibom, Kogi, Anambra, Taraba, Abia, Osun, Nasarawa and Jigawa States, 22 successful candidates for appointment as Justices of the Supreme Court, Heads of Courts and other Judicial Officers in Nigeria.
A statement by the spokesman of the NJC, Soji Oye, on Thursday listed the Justices for consideration as:
1. APPOINTMENT OF FOUR (4) JUSTICES, SUPREME COURT OF NIGERIA
i) Hon. Justice Adamu Jauro, JCA (North-East Zone)
ii) Hon. Justice Emmanuel A. Agim, JCA
(South-South Zone)
iii) Hon. Justice C. Oseji, JCA (South-South Zone)
iv) Hon. Justice Helen M. Ogunwumiju, JCA
(South-West Zone)
2. APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF JUDGE, FEDERAL HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE
i) Hon. Justice Tsoho John Terhemba
3. APPOINTMENT OF PRESIDENT, NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL COURT OF NIGERIA
i) Hon. Justice B. B. Kanyip
4. APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF JUDGE, EDO STATE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE
i) Hon. Justice Esther Amenaghawon Edigin
5. APPOINTMENT OF PRESIDENT, CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL, ONDO STATE
i) Hon. Justice Eunice Aderonke Alade
6. APPOINTMENT OF FOUR (4) JUDGES, OSUN STATE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE
i) Mathias Olusegun Agboola, Esq.
ii) Sikiru Adeposi Oke, Esq.
iii) Olorunfemi Judith Ajanaku, Esq.
iv) Lawrence Olawale Arojo, Esq.
7. APPOINTMENT OF ONE (1) JUDGE, NASARAWA STATE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE
i) Bawa Sunday Baba, Esq.
8. APPOINTMENT OF ONE (1) JUDGE, AKWA-IBOM STATE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE
i) Nkeruwem Martin Obot, Esq.
9. APPOINTMENT OF ONE (1) JUDGE, KOGI STATE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE
i) Yahaya Adamu, Esq.
10. APPOINTMENT OF TWO (2) JUDGES, ANAMBRA STATE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE
i) Onyinye Samuel Anumonye, Esq.
ii) Victoria Toochukwu Nwoye, Esq.
11. APPOINTMENT OF ONE (1) JUDGE, TARABA STATE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE
i) Goje Yahaya Hamman, Esq.
12. APPOINTMENT OF THREE (3) JUDGES, ABIA STATE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE
i) Benson Anya, Esq.
ii) Enyinnaya Okezie, Esq.
iii) Adiele Ogbonna, Esq.
13. APPOINTMENT OF ONE (1) KADI, SHARIA COURT OF APPEAL, JIGAWA STATE
i) Ibrahim Alhaji Ya’u.
Oye added in the statement: “All the appointed Judges are expected to be sworn-in after the approval of the President and their respective State Governors and or confirmation by the Senate and State Houses of Assembly as the case may be.”
Oye said the Council at the Meeting deliberated on the Report of its Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committee and decided to empanel eight Committees to investigate eight Judicial Officers from amongst the 35 petitions written against 37 Judges of the Federal and State High Courts.
The remaining petitions were summarily dismissed for obvious and manifest lack of merit, being subjudice, concerning administrative matters, or that such petitions were matters for appeal.
The dismissed petitions were against Hon. Justice Adamu Abdu-kafarati, the immediate past Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Hon. Justices Anduwi Chikere, H. I. O. Oshoma, Ayo Emmanuel all of the Federal High Court, Hon. Justice J. D. Peters, National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Hon. Justice S. E. Aladetoyinbo (Rtd), of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Hon. Justice Opeyemi Oke (Rtd), Chief Judge of Lagos State, Hon. Justices K. A. Jose, S. S. Ogunsanya, T. A. Oyekan-Abdullahi, O. O. Femi-Adeniyi and D. T. Okuwobi, all of the Lagos State High Court of Justice. Hon. Justice Mojisola Idayat Sule, Oyo State High Court, Hon. Justices R. D. Harriman, A. O. Omamogbo, Michael Nduka Obi, High Court of Justice, Delta State, Hon. Justice E. N. Thompson, River State High Court, Hon. Justice Inaikende Eradiri, High Court, Bayelsa State, Hon. Justices N. B. Ukoha and B. C. Iheka of High Court of Justice, Imo State, Hon. Justices F. I. N. Ngwu, R. O. Odugu, Enugu State High Court, Hon. Justice Abdulkadir H. Suleiman, Bauchi State High Court and Hon. Justice Garba Abdulkadir of the Katsina State High Court of Justice.
Oye said the Council also approved the recommendation of two Committees earlier set-up to investigate Hon. Justice Winifred I. A. Effiong of Akwa Ibom State High Court of Justice and Hon. Justice Bello Aliyu Gusau of High of Justice, Zamfara State, which absolved them of any judicial misconduct.
