(Full List) NJC Recommends Elevation of 11 Justices to Supreme Court

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has proposed the appointment of 11 justices from the Court of Appeal to fill vacancies in the Supreme Court. The decision was reached during the council’s 104th meeting, presided over by Chief Justice of Nigeria Olukayode Ariwoola.

Soji Oye, NJC’s Director of Information, announced in a press statement on Wednesday that the council made the recommendations after careful consideration of candidates presented by its Interview Committee. The list includes accomplished legal professionals such as Hon. Justice Jummai Hannatu Sankey and Hon. Justice Chidiebere Nwaoma Uwa.

With the current Supreme Court bench housing only 10 justices, the appointment of the recommended candidates would bring the court to its full strength of 21 justices for the first time. President Bola Tinubu has the authority to approve these appointments, pending Senate confirmation.

The NJC’s recommendations also extend to heads of various federal and state courts across the country. Among them is Hon. Justice Mohammed Ahmed Ramat, recommended for the Court of Appeal, and Hon. Justice Joel Filibus Agya as the Chief Judge of Taraba State.

The rigorous Senate screening process, usually a routine affair, is anticipated to proceed smoothly. The NJC, as the statutory body responsible for judicial appointments in Nigeria, plays a crucial role in shaping the nation’s judiciary.

Last month, news surfaced that the NJC had received a list of 22 nominees for the 11 Supreme Court openings. The full list of recommended candidates can be found in the NJC’s official statement, released alongside the press release.

All candidates recommended for the Supreme Court bench will assume their roles upon approval by President Tinubu and subsequent confirmation by the Senate. Similarly, heads of various courts will take office upon approval by their respective State Governors and confirmation by State Houses of Assembly.

Below is NJC’s full statement with the list of recommended candidates

NJC RECOMMENDS APPOINTMENT OF 11 SUPREME COURT JUSTICES, ONE JUSTICE OF COURT OF APPEAL, 6 HEADS OF COURTS AND 26 OTHER JUDICIAL OFFICERS

The National Judicial Council (NJC, at its 104 Meeting of 6 December 2023 considered the list of candidates presented by its Interview Committee and at the end of deliberations, recommended the under-listed names of successful candidates as Heads of Courts and other Judicial Officers for the Federal and State Courts in Nigeria.

 

 

They are as follows:

 

ELEVEN JUSTICES, SUPREME COURT OF NIGERIA

Hon. Justice Jummai Hannatu Sankey, OFR

Hon. Justice Chidiebere Nwaoma Uwa

Hon. Justice Chioma Egondu Nwosu-Iheme

Hon. Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani

Hon. Justice Moore Aseimo A. Adumein

Hon. Justice Obande Festus Ogbuinya

Hon. Justice Stephen Jonah Adah

Hon. Justice Habeeb Adewale O. Abiru

Hon. Justice Jamilu Yammama Tukur

Hon. Justice Abubakar Sadiq Umar

Hon. Justice Mohammed Baba Idris

ONE JUSTICE, COURT OF APPEAL

Hon. Justice Mohammed Ahmed Ramat

CHIEF JUDGE TARABA STATE

Hon. Justice Joel Filibus Agya

 

CHIEF JUDGE, KEBBI STATE

Hon. Justice Umar Abubakar

 

GRAND KADI, SHARIA COURT OF APPEAL, KEBBI STATE

 

Hon. Kadi Sadiq Usman Mukhtar

 

PRESIDENT, CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL, OGUN STATE

Hon. Justice A. O. Femi-Segun

 

PRESIDENT, CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL, TARABA STATE

Hon. Justice Alfred Yakubu

 

PRESIDENT, CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL, OYO STATE

Hon. Justice Tajudeen M. Abdulganiyu

 

ONE HIGH COURT JUDGE, BAYELSA STATE

Amaebi Ibomo Orukari

 

ONE HIGH COURT JUDGE, OGUN STATE

Akinyemi Martins Ayodele

 

THREE HIGH COURT JUDGES, CROSS RIVER STATE

Ama Edet Ekpo

Theresa Ansa Agom

Jalarth Ogar Agim

THREE KADIS, SHARIA COURT OF APPEAL, ZAMFARA STATE

 

Aminu Abdullahi Gusau

Usman Hassan Gummi

Hadi Sani

 

TWO KADIS, SHARIA COURT OF APPEAL, NASARAWA STATE

 

Abubakar Ahmad Tijjani

Aliyu Ibrahim Ebbema

 

NINE HIGH COURT JUDGES, KANO STATE;

 

Fatima Adamu

Hauwa Lawal Umar

Musa Ahmad

Musa Daihuru Mohammed

Farida Rabiu Danbappa

Halima Aliyu Nasir

Aisha Mahmoud

Adam Abdullahi

Hanif Sanusi Yusuf

 

ONE JUDGE, CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL, BAYELSA STATE

Opokuma David Lawrence

 

FOUR HIGH COURT JUDGES, NASARAWA STATE

Esther Mami Ejeh

Ibrahim Dauda Shekarau

Musa Muhammad Dallah

Makama Tanze Benjamin

 

TWO JUDGES, CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL, OGUN STATE

Awoyomi Bolanle Adenike

Lawal Adeniyi Olusanya

 

All recommended candidates to the Supreme Court Bench would be sworn-in after the approval of their recommendation by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and the subsequent confirmation of their appointment by the Senate.

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.

 

Soji Oye, Esq.

Director, Information