The National Judicial Council will this week appoint 11 more justices to the Supreme Court, The Eagle Online has learnt.
According to information available to The Eagle Online, the NJC will also approve other heads of courts.
The approvals are expected to be given at the meeting of the body on December 6 and 7, 2023 in Abuja.
The NJC, with the Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, as head, is expected to confirm the 11 persons approved for appointment as Supreme Court justices at the meeting.
At present, there are only 10 justices at the Supreme Court.
When the approval is done, the number of justices at the country’s apex court will increase to 21, the maximum it should have.
If this sails through and eventually endorsed by the approving authority, President Bola Tinubu, it will be the first time in decades that the Supreme court will have its full complement of justices.
The NJC is also expected to approve the appointment of some heads of courts and judges for state judicial divisions as recommended by the committee headed by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.
A source told The Eagle Online: “The quarterly meeting is the last for the year.
“Eleven justices from the 22 screened by the appointment panel of the Council headed by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, have been shortlisted by her committee.”
The source equally confided in The Eagle Online that though the NJC will not openly speak on the crisis rocking the judiciary in Osun State, it still recognises Justice Adepele Ojo as the state’s Chief Justice.
The source told The Eagle Online: “Council retains its recognition of Osun CJ as the head of the Judicial Division.
The source also said that the Council cannot be blamed if anyone who should not be a judicial officer gets to the bench, adding that there are times approving authorities withhold approval against the recommendations of the NJC.
The source cited the situation in Edo State, where the Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has refused to endorse those recommended for the state judiciary till date.
The source added: “The clearance is an age-long practice of the Council.
“The Council has never and will never process anyone for appointment into the bench of any court without clearance by the listed bodies.
“All the nominees, including those being elevated from the Court of Appeal to the Supreme Court, have been screened and cleared by the Department of State Services, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission.”
On the controversy over the judgement of the Court of Appeal regarding the Kano State governorship election, the source said “it was a product of error by the Secretary who typed it and the Justice in charge not supervising the final copy well”, adding: “The Council is challenging critics to first read judgements they are criticising before going on air to slam the system, without justification, particularly lawyers, who are also social critics.”
On the damning valedictory speech of a former Justice of the Supreme Court, Muhammadu Dattijo, the source told The Eagle Online: “His anger mainly was his inability to become CJN when Justice Ibrahim Tanko left, with former President Muhammadu Buhari sticking with seniority and appointing Ariwoola.
“Petitions have been written and the Council is reaching out to the petitioners because the petitions didn’t follow standard procedure of filing.
“Dattijo as the most senior judicial officer after the CJN was the chairman of the Council’s Appointment, Finance and Constitution Review Committees.
“He could have done something on all the issues he raised in his valedictory speech, if he was being altruistic.”
The source said the plan of the Council is to start publishing the names of judicial officers to be considered for appointment or elevation in the media for input.
The source told The Eagle Online: “Names of applicants to the bench may start appearing in newspapers for members of the public to make their observations and complaints known.
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“Currently, such names are only advertised on Council’s website, Nigeria Bar Association notice boards and others.
“Since there is room for improvement, the Council is working on improved modalities for entry into the system.
“For deeper public engagement, newspapers are likely to be involved going forward.”
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