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Tag: NJC

  • Tinubu Set To Return To France Less Than 24 Hours After Arriving in Nigeria

    Tinubu Set To Return To France Less Than 24 Hours After Arriving in Nigeria

    Barring any last minute change in plans, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is set to depart for France today, Friday, August 23, 2024, barely 24 hours after arriving from Paris to swear in the new Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).

     

    Tinubu had returned to the country this morning to swear-in Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun as the new Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).

     

    Tinubu swore-in Justice Kekere-Ekun at about 11:38 am at the State House in Abuja, making her the second Nigerian female jurist to serve as the Chief Justice of Nigeria, after Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, who was the Chief Justice of Nigeria between July 2012 and November, 2014.

     

    She will operate in an acting capacity until confirmation by the Senate.

     

    Justice Kekere-Ekun takes over the new role following her recommendation for the position by the National Judicial Council and the retirement of Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.

     

    Among the dignitaries who witnessed the swearing-in event were other Justices of the Supreme Court; the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio; the leadership of the House of Representatives, represented by Prof Julius Ihonbvere; the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-olu; and immediate past Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.

     

    Also present were the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume; National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu; Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.

     

    Recall that President Tinubu had cut short his trip to France, returning to the country early this morning to swear-in the new CJN.

     

    The decision of the President to return to France has made some to wonder about the reason for Mr. Tinubu’s predilection for Paris, France at this critical time of national socioeconomic ad security challenges.

  • Bayelsa Guber: Supreme court authenticates Gov Diri’s election

    The Supreme Court, Friday, declared that Duoye Diri, remains the authentic governor of Bayelsa State.

    The Apex court affirmed the re-election of Diri after dismissing the appeal of the candidate of All Progressive Congress(APC) Timipre Sylva, in the November 11 off-cycle election.

    The five-man panel of the supreme court lead by Justice Lawal Garba, affirmed the Court of Appeal decision of 15 July, that declared Sylva’s appeal an abuse of court process for filing two notices of appeal.

    Citing a part of section 246(1) of the 1999 Constitution, the Apex Court panel held that the APC Governorship candidate has only one right to appeal the judgment of the Tribunal and not multiple.

    Consequently, it faulted the APC appellant who filed two notices of appeal to the Appellate Court.

    In a unanimous judgment, the appeal was therefore dismissed by the Supreme Court for lacking merit.

    The Electoral body, INEC had declared that governor Diri of the PDP garnered a total of 175,196 votes to defeat his closest rival, Sylva of the APC who polled 110,108 votes.

    The unanimous decision of the apex court upheld the earlier decision of the Court of Appeal and the Election Petition Tribunal.

    The Court of Appeal in Abuja had on July 18 in a unanimous judgment affirmed the decision of the Bayelsa Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which upheld the November 11, 2023, re-election of Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State.

    A 3-man panel of the appellate court had dismissed an appeal brought before the Court by Timipre Sylva and APC seeking to set aside the decision of the Tribunal.

    The Justice Adekunle Adeleye-led three-member tribunal had on May 27, dismissed the petition filed against Governor Diri’s re-election by the APC and its candidate for lacking in merit.

    The tribunal had held that both Sylva and APC failed to adduce any credible evidence to substantiate any of the allegations they raised against the outcome of the governorship poll.

  • Olukayode Ariwoola retires as CJN

    Olukayode Ariwoola retires as CJN

    Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, the 22nd Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), has officially retired from service upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70.

    Born on August 22, 1954, Justice Ariwoola’s retirement marks the end of a distinguished judicial career.

    Justice Ariwoola was appointed to the Supreme Court bench on November 22, 2011, and later became the substantive CJN on June 27, 2022, following the resignation of his predecessor, Justice Tanko Muhammad.

    His appointment as CJN was formally confirmed by the Nigerian Senate on September 21, 2022.

    As events marking his retirement unfold at the Supreme Court, there are strong indications that Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun may be named as his successor, making her the new Chief Justice of Nigeria.

  • Ex-CJN Onnoghen, appeals CCT judgment

    Ex-CJN Onnoghen, appeals CCT judgment

    The former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, has appealed the judgment of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, that ordered his removal from office in 2019.

     

     

    The legal battle which commences, Tuesday, 20th August 2024, in Abuja was filed at the Court of Appeal since April 2019.

     

     

    Onnoghen is specifically praying the Court of Appeal to void and set aside the CCT judgment delivered against him on April 18, 2019, on various grounds.

     

     

    In his appeal marked CA/ABJ/375 & 376 & 377/2019, Justice Onnoghen through his lead counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, is asking the appellate court to quash his conviction primarily on ground of want of jurisdiction, bias and and absence of fair hearing.

     

    With Onnoghen as the appellant, the Federal Republic of Nigeria is the sole respondent.

     

    A notice for hearing of the appeal just sighted by our correspondent is entitled, “CA/ABJ/375 & 376 & 377/2019 BTW: Justice Onnoghen and FRN”.

     

    It read, “Please take notice that the above matter is listed for hearing on Tuesday the 20th day of August, 2024 at 9 o clock in Court Appeal, Abuja Division.

     

    “Please take note that this serves as a hearing notice”.

     

    The Code of Conduct Tribunal had in 2019 convicted Onnoghen in all the 6-count charges of breach of Code of Conduct for Public Officers brought against him by the federal government while in office as head of the country’s judiciary.

     

    In the lead judgment delivered by Chairman of the CCT, Danladi Yakubu Umar, he had ordered the immediate removal of Onnoghen from office as the CJN.

     

    The Tribunal had also stripped him of all offices earlier occupied among which were the Chairman of the National Judicial Council, NJC, and also the chairmanship of the Federal Judicial Service Commission.

     

    The tribunal also ordered the forfeiture of his five bank accounts and the money in the accounts which Onnoghen did not declare in his asset declaration form submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, an agency of the Federal Government.

     

    Although Onnoghen had been on suspension since January 25, 2019 and had resigned on April 4, the tribunal nonetheless ordered his removal from office as the Chief Justice of Nigeria and also as the chairman of both the National Judicial Council and the Federal Judicial Service Commission.

     

    However, dissatisfied with the CCT decision, Onnoghen in 2019 approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja with 16 grounds on why his conviction by the Tribunal should be quashed.

     

    Among others, he maintained that the Danladi Umar-led CCT panel erred in law and occasioned a miscarriage of justice against him, when it failed to decline jurisdiction to entertain the six-count against him.

     

    He contended that the CCT Chairman ought to have recused himself from presiding over his trial.

     

    In his seven-point reliefs, Onnoghen, applied for an order setting aside his conviction as well as quashing the order for forfeiture of his assets and to discharge and acquit him of all the charges levelled against him.

     

    Listing some of the particulars of error in the CCT’s verdict, Onnoghen argued that he was s judicial officer at the time the charges were filed against him on January 11, 2019 and as such cannot be subjected to the jurisdiction of the lower tribunal.

     

    “0n the authority of Nganiiwa v. FRN (2018) 4 NWLR (Pt. 1609) 30: at 340. 341 only the National Judicial Council (NJC) has the power to discipline the Appellant for misconduct and not the lower tribunal.

     

    “The lower tribunal had in the case of FRN V. Sylvester Nwali Nguta in charge No: CCT/ABJ/01/2017 delivered on 9th January, 2018, affirmed the position of the Court in FRN Nganjiwa v. FRN and dismissed the charges and acquitted and discharged Justice Ngwuta being a Judicial Officer subject only to the discipline of the National Judicial C0uncil.

     

    “The lower tribunal has no iurisdittion over servng judicial officers such as the appellant, save the National Judicial Council.

     

    “The Motion on Notice dated 14th January, 2019, challenging iurisdiction ought to be granted in all material particular as it purports to save the lower tribunal of needless futile exercise.

     

    “The lower tribunal erred In law when it dismissed the Appellant’s Application seeking the chairman to recuse himself from further proceedings on the ground of real likelihood of bias and thus occasioned a miscarriage of justice.

     

    “The Appellant has alleged that the chairman of the lower tribunal is biased towards him as a result of open remarks in the tribunal as well as the manner in which the proceedings was being conducted.”

     

    Contrary to the CCT finding, Onnoghen, said he did not admit the fact of non-declaration of Assets from 2005 as the Justice of the Supreme Court, adding that he only stated that he did not declare in 2009 as required because he forgot.

     

    Onnoghen challenged the order for the confiscation of his assets on the grounds that the assets were legitimately acquired, as against the provisions of paragraph three of the section 23 of the CCB Act which only permits the seizure of such assets “if they were acquired by fraud.”

     

    He faulted the failure of the prosecution to present the petitioner, Denis Aghanya, before the tribunal whose petition led to the charges against him.

     

    Onnoghen maintained that all the allegations brought against him “constitute no offence and should therefore not have formed the basis for his conviction”.

     

    The former CJN asked the Court of Appeal to issue some orders against the CCT judgment among which are that the tribunal lacks the jurisdiction to entertain the case and that its Chairman ought to have recused itself from the proceedings.

     

    Consequently, he wants an order setting aside his conviction and another one setting aside the order for forfeiture of his assets made by the Tribunal.

     

    He also wants the appallete court to discharge and acquit him from the charges.

  • CJN: NJC recommends Kekere-Ekun

    CJN: NJC recommends Kekere-Ekun

    By Vivian Michael, Abuja
    “…recommends the appointment of 27 others as Judges of various courts.
    The National Judicial Council (NJC), has recommended Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun as the next Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).
    This is imperative as Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, GCON, will formally bow out of office as the Chief Justice of Nigeria next week Thursday, August 22.
    This was part of the outcome of the meeting of the NJC, which also recommended the appointment of 27 others as Judges of various courts.
    The decision was confirmed by the spokesman of the NJC, Soji Oye, in a statement on Thursday.
    The emergence of Kekere will be subject to confirmation by President Bola Tinubu and screening by the Senate.
    The recommend twenty-seven (27) candidates for appointment as Judges of States Courts and a candidate for appointment as Kadi of the Sharia Court of the FCT, Abuja to their various State Governors and Mr. President as follows.
    Six judges for high court of Kwara state are; Olawoyin, Ibijoke, Abdulrazaq, Fatimah Funsho, Folorunsho, Oba Muritala, Dikko, Yusuf Adebayo, Adeniyi, Oluwatosin Adenike, Osuolale-Ajayi and Temitope Olalekan.
    One judge for high court of Lagos state; Zubairu, Murtala Ja’afaru.
    Four judges for high court of Benue state includes, Kor, Vincent Tersoo; Ikwulono, Maigida Maimuna; Adagba, Nguhemen Julie; Tor, Damian Tersugh.
    Two judges for customary court of Appeal, Benue state are Onche, Ogah Inalegwu, and Igba, Theophilus Terhile.
    Others are eight judges for high court of River State which includes, Onyiri, Frank Ugoji, Victor Chinedum, Obomanu, Godswill Vidal, Oguguo, Rita Chituru, Fubara, Alatuwo Elkanah, Kokpan, Bariyima Sylvester Obu, Ibietela Innocent Madighi and Wifa-Adedipe, Lesi.
    The recommended Six judges for high court of Ondo state are Daomi, Williams Adebisi, Fabuluje, Adewumi William, Ogunwumiju, Mobayonle, Idowu, Demehin-Ogunbayo, Inumidun Happiness, Kpemi, Ojufisintei Justinah, Adegoroye, Olufunke Adeola.
    Concluding, it recommend one Kadi for Sharia court of Appeal, FCT in the person of Muhammad, Lawal Munir.
    All recommended candidates are expected to be sworn-in after the approval of the NJC recommendations to the President and their respective State Governors.
  • LG Allocation: S/Court judgement Nationally Applicable – Ozekhome

    LG Allocation: S/Court judgement Nationally Applicable – Ozekhome

    ... no ambiguity in the judgement to warrant delay in implementation

     

    Constitutional lawyer, Professor Mike Ozekhome has again insisted that the judgment of the Supreme Court which ordered allocations of funds directly to the 774 local governments in Nigeria is enforceable in all parts of the country.

     

    Ozekhome, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and human rights activist said that there was no ambiguity in the judgment to warrant any delay in its implementation.

     

    In a fresh statement issued on Thursday in Abuja, the senior lawyer maintained that section 162 of the 1999 Constitution upon which the judgment was predicated, was rightly interpreted by the 7-man panel of Justices of the apex court.

     

    Ozekhome asserts “Many Nigerians and non-Nigerians alike have repeatedly asked me if the Supreme Court was not wrong in its interpretation of section 162(3), (4), (5) and (6) of the 1999 Constitution and what happens to the allegedly wrong judgement.

     

    “They want to know if the judgment is superior to the said “clear” provisions of the Constitution and if it is enforceable or capable of being enforced.

     

    “They also want to know how, in the event that I say it is enforceable. My simple answers to both questions are yes, yes and yes.

     

    “Let’s take them one after the other, the judgment of the Supreme Court is superior to the provisions of the Constitution.

    .

    “A law is only what the courts interpret it to be, not what it says on bare paper. That was why Oliver Wendell Holmes Jnr, a very influential civil rights Jurist, Brevet Colonel during the American Civil War and longest serving Justice of the US Supreme Court (1902-1932), who retired from the US Supreme Court at 90, once famously declared;

     

    “The prophesies of what the courts will do in fact, and nothing more pretentious, are what I mean by the law”. In other words, the law, whether constitutional, substantive, statutory, or adjectival, remains what it is-inanimate and dead on paper-until the life and the oxygen of interpretation are breathed into it by a court of law.

     

    “Consequently, it is thus the interpretation which was given by the Supreme Court to the entire section 162 of the Constitution on the sharing procedure between the Federal government, states and the LGs, and not the bare provisions of the Constitution that prevails.

     

    “On the enforceable of the judgment, the answer is also in the affirmative. Section 287 (1) of the 1999 Constitution comes to our rescue by providing that “the decisions of the Supreme Court shall be enforced by in any part of the Federation by all authorities and persons and by courts of subordinate jurisdiction to that of the Supreme Court”.

     

    “Even if the Supreme Court was wrong in its interpretation of section 162 dealing with the State Joint Local Government Account, the judgement remains binding on all and for all times.

     

    “It is only an amendment of the Constitution under section 9 thereof that can override the decision. No person or authority can decide, whimsically and arbitrarily to disobey the judgement or pick and choose what portions of the judgment to obey or which to discard.

     

    “In Rt Hon Michael Balonwu & Ors V Governor of Anambra State& Ors (2007) 5 NWLR ( Pt 1028) 488, the intermediate court held that “an order of court whether valid or not must be obeyed until it is set aside.

     

    “An order of court must be obeyed as long as it is subsisting by all no matter how lowly or lightly placed in the society. This is what the rule of law is all about, hence the courts have always stressed the need for obedience to court orders”.

     

    “It therefore does not matter that the judgment is downright stupid, illogical or not well researched; or that parties affected do not like it.

     

    “Right or wrong therefore, court judgements must be obeyed until set aside by a higher court, or a challenged section is amended by the Legislature.

     

    “Since no court is higher than the Supreme Court of Nigeria, only an amendment to the Constitution by the NASS under section 9 can override the judgment.

     

    “That was why the same Supreme Court, acutely aware that it is susceptible to mistakes and errors being constituted by mere mortals and not almighty God or angels, once famously declared through late venerable Socrates of the Nigerian Bench, Honourable Justice Chukwudifu Oputa, in the causa celebre of Adegoke Motors Ltd v Adesanya (1989) NWLR ( Pt 109) 250, that “the Supreme Court is final not because it is infallible, it is infallible because it is final”.

     

    “On how the Supreme Court judgment is implementable, yhe answer is equally simple. The FG, states and LGs should now meet (and I am told they have been meeting) at FAAC and decide on modalities and procedures of opening up accounts for LGs so that their allocation under section 162 is paid directly to them and not to the joint state LG account that is oftentimes waylaid by state Governors and fleeced without the helpless and hamstrung LGs being able to raise a finger.

     

    “This is not rocket science.That refusal by state governors to remit to the LGs was the ugly mischief the Apex Court judgment sought to cure; and it did so perfectly, loud and clear, in my own humble opinion.

     

    “Inter alia, the Apex Court had declared emphatically that, “by virtue of section 162(3) and (5) of the Constitution of Nigeria, 1999, the amount standing to the credit of LGs in the Federation Account shall be distributed to them and be paid directly to them”; that “a state, either by itself or Governor or other agencies, has no power to keep, control, manage, or disburse in any manner, allocations from the Federation Account to LGs”.

     

    “The Apex Court also granted injunctive orders restraining “Governors and their agents, officials or privies from tampering with funds meant for the LGs in the Federation Account” ; and further ordered “immediate compliance by the states, through their appointed officials and public officers with the terms of the judgment and orders”.

     

    “The apex court further ordered the “Federation or Federal Government of Nigeria through its relevant officials, to forthwith commence the direct payment to each LG of the amount standing to the credit of each of them in the Federation Account”.

     

    “The content, terms and directives contained in this judgement, are in my humble opinion, very straight forward, unambiguous and are as clear and clean as a whistle.

     

    “All parties concerned, – FG, states and LGs- must therefore obey and enforce this judgement immediately. There is no option.I had earlier made public this same opinion of mine.

     

    “I had written and stated on several fora that in my humble understanding of the principles of interpretation, the Supreme Court was right in the interpretation it gave to section 162 of the Constitution, so as to prevent continuation of years of wanton abuse of the provisions of section 162 by state governors.

     

    .”I still stand very firmly by this my earlier opinion.God bless Nigeria as we collectively seek true fiscal federalism and not the present unitary system of government that we are currently operating under the thin guise of federalism”, Ozekhome said.

  • AGF, NBA, NJC set to tackle factors hindering the effectiveness of laws

    AGF, NBA, NJC set to tackle factors hindering the effectiveness of laws

    The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi has said that a new move to make Nigerians access justice and fair play unhindered is underway for the citizenry.

    To make the new measure achievable, most of the laws, including electoral laws, are to be updated under a new justice sector reform.

    At a media briefing in Abuja on Thursday, the AGF revealed that the Federal Ministry of Justice and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) are putting together a National Summit on Justice sector where all factors hindering the effectiveness of Nigerian laws would be tackled.

    The President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, according to the AGF, would, on April 24, 2024, declare the Summit open to address critical challenges in the nation’s justice sector in Abuja.

    According to Fagbemi, the anticipated National Summit on Justice holding from April 24 to 25, 2024 will be hosted by the
    Federal Ministry of Justice, alongside the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the National Judicial Council (NJC).

    The National Summit, with the theme, “Repositioning the Justice System: Constitutional, Statutory, and Operational Reforms for Access and Efficiency”, the Minister said, will hold at the Auditorium of National Judicial Institute (NJI) in Abuja.

    The event, Fagbemi said, will address the significant challenges plaguing Nigeria’s justice sector and pave the way for much-needed reforms that will make justice more accessible to all Nigerians.

    He said the Summit will bring together experts, legal professionals, and key stakeholders from across the country to engage in constructive discussions and develop practical solutions that prioritize the justice needs of the average Nigerian.

    In his words, “The National Summit on Justice presents a unique opportunity to collectively tackle the pressing issues hindering the efficient, fair, and people-centered delivery of justice in our nation.

    “The Joint Planning Committee established by the Federal Ministry of Justice and the NBA, headed by the Chairman of the NBA Judiciary Committee, Dr. Babatunde Ajibade, SAN has assembled a remarkable group of speakers and panelists to share their invaluable knowledge and expertise and proffer constructive solutions for making the justice system more efficient and accessible to all Nigerians”, the AGF and Minister of Justice stated.

    He added that the summit will feature a keynote address by Dr. Willy Mutunga, EGH, a renowned legal scholar, jurist and former Chief Justice of Kenya, celebrated for his commitment to democratic principles and human rights, and for the transformative judicial reform that took place in Kenya under his watch.

    One of the Summit’s goals, the Minister said, is to review, validate, and adopt the revised National Policy on Justice 2024 – 2028 to drive prison reforms, access to justice for the average Nigerian, as well as the review of electoral laws and procedures in handling election related cases, among several other reforms.

    He said, “This comprehensive policy document outlines a broad framework and initiatives in 17 thematic areas aimed at reforming the justice sector to enhance its effectiveness and accessibility to all Nigerians, ensuring that justice is not just a privilege for the few, but a right for all.

    “The policy aims to address various challenges within the legal framework, seeking to promote social cohesion, bolster economic development, and foster good governance.”

    He added further that, the Summit will deliberate on draft legislations proposed to address specific identified challenges within the justice sector, relating to the judicial appointments process, administration, funding and budgeting for the judiciary, the elimination of delays and inefficiencies in justice delivery and to evolve ways to reduce the amount of time for adjudication of cases, eliminate some of the associated technicalities, and reduce the number of cases getting to the Supreme Court.

    “In this regard, we intend to look at a situation where many cases will terminate at the court of appeal to reduce the burden on our noble justices of the Supreme Court.

    “These proposed laws are expected to serve as a catalyst for collective action and provide a guiding framework for relevant governmental institutions at both the national and sub national levels to establish an effective, efficient, and people-centered justice system”.

    The country , he said, cannot afford to remain complacent in the face of the obstacles impeding the efficient delivery of justice for all Nigerians, adding that, “the Summit will present an opportunity for us to unite our efforts, leverage our collective expertise, and chart a course toward a more just and equitable society”.

    Fagbemi expressed the hope that , the National Summit on Justice will usher in a new era of positive change and progress in the country’s justice sector, ensure a fair, accessible, and efficient legal system that upholds the rule of law while safeguarding fundamental human rights.

  • We’ll Not Be Moved By Public Opinion – CJN

    Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Olukayode Ariwoola has reasserted the judiciary’s unwavering dedication to impartiality amidst public influence.

    During the inauguration of the 2023/2024 legal year and the induction of 58 Senior Advocates of Nigeria, the CJN stressed the values of diligence, integrity, and respect among judicial officers.

    Ariwoola emphasized the imperative for humility in discharging duties, urging fair treatment of litigants, witnesses, and bar members. 

    He assured that the judiciary will remain unswayed by external pressures, underscoring that public sentiment should never overshadow the law in decision-making processes.

    “The law stands firm, irrespective of individual interests. As interpreters of the law, we must detach emotion from logic and facts from assumptions,” stated the CJN.

    He cautioned against succumbing to the clamor of the masses, advocating for decisions guided solely by legal principles rather than sentiment. Emphasizing the significance of judicious conduct, Ariwoola highlighted that needless remarks could undermine not only others but the judiciary itself.

    Pledging to safeguard the rule of law and the judiciary’s autonomy, the CJN reiterated his commitment to preserving public trust and confidence in the legal system.

  • Social Media Reports On Justices Nomination List, ‘Mischief-Making’, Says NJC 

    The National Judicial Council (NJC) has disowned reports credited to it in the social media that it was not aware or did not receive nomination list for Supreme Court vacancies from the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC).

    The Director of Information, Barrister Soji Oye, on Sunday, said that he never had discussion with anybody regarding receiving or not receiving the list of Justices nominees from the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC).

    He described the social media reports on the matter as deliberate handiwork of mischief -makers, insisting that reports on such matters are always by official press statement from the Council through his office.

    The NJC Spokesperson cautioned against unverified reports circulating on social media regarding Supreme Court nominations and the process being followed to fill vacancies on the bench.

    It will be recalled that there were reports stating that the FJSC released 22 names for NJC’s consideration to fill vacancies at the Apex Court bench. 

    The nomination reportedly includes regional distribution of candidates across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones.

    According to the report, the nomination of Justices for the bench followed complaints in

    September that the Supreme Court was operating with only 10 out of its constitutional strength of 21 Justices.

    Based on the depletions of Justices due to retirement and deaths, it was reported that the FJSC subsequently submitted a shortlist to address the vacant positions.

    Oye warned the media, especially social media operators to always get their information from rightful sources so as not to mis-inform the general public on Supreme Court nominations and the process being followed to fill vacancies on the bench.

  • Appoint Only Qualified Judges To Supreme, Appeal Court Benches, Tinubu Charges NJC

    President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, has called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) to rely on qualified, experienced and diligent private legal practitioners in both the Appeal Court and the Supreme Court appointments.

    Speaking at the opening ceremony of the All-Nigerian Judges Conference of the Superior Courts, held at the National Judicial Institute (NJI), in Abuja, the president held that the move will strengthen the nation’s judiciary.

    Tinubu expressed that the judiciary had over the years, performed excellently to creditably retain the status of the last hope of the common man, adding that his administration was determined to improve the welfare of judicial officers in the country.

    Tinubu was represented by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, SAN.

    He said: “While the Nigerian judiciary is not immune from certain challenges, it has, however, surmounted these limitations to creditably retain the status of both the last hope of the common man and the bastion of rule of law and democracy.

    “The Nigerian judiciary has indeed evolved from the colonial days, through the rich history of contemporary worthy status today. While there may be misgivings here and there, we cannot begin to imagine what our country would have been subjected to if there was no judiciary.

    “Through a gamut of landmark judgments, the judiciary has continued to maintain the cause of the rule of law in Nigeria and strengthens our democratic processes and institutions.

    “I wish to observe that in the cause of demonstrating this commitment to the advancement of the rule of law and democracy, especially in political and electoral cases, the judiciary has come under myopic criticism and attacks.

    Concluding, he reiterated his confidence in the accomplishment of the judiciary in the cause of nation-building, both locally and on the global scene.