The National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended to President Muhammadu Buhari, the appointment of 26 judicial officers as justices of court of appeal and heads of court in Nigeria.
The judicial officers are made up of 18 elevated to the Court of Appeal bench and eight as heads of court in the country.
The NJC said the list of candidates presented by its interview committee at the council’s 94th meeting held on December 17 and 18, 2020 was considered after which it resolved to recommend to President Muhammadu Buhari, and the governors of Rivers, Nasarawa, Kogi, Jigawa, Ebonyi and Delta states, the 26 successful candidates for appointment.
It gave the list of the successful 18 candidates it recommended for elevation to the Court of Appeal bench as Justices Bature Gafai, Muhammad Sirajo, Waziri Abdul-Azeez, Yusuf Bashir, Usman A. Musale, Jauro Wakili and Abba Mohammed.
Others are Grand Kadi Mohammed Danjuma, Danlami Senchi, Mohammed Abubakar, Hassan Sule,
The others are Amadi Ikechukwu, Peter Affen, Sybil Gbagi and Olasumbo Goodluck, Banjoko Ibironke, Olabode Adegbehingbe and Bola Ademola.
Among those recommended as heads of court in the states are Justice Salisu Abdullahi, FCT; Justice Simeon Amadi, Rivers; Justice Aisha Aliyu, Nasarawa; Justice Sunday Otu, Kogi and Justice Umar Sadiq, Jigawa, Justice Ngene Elvis, and Justice Theresa Ogochukwu were recommended for Ebonyi and Delta states respectively.
Similarly, the NJC recommended Justice Patience Elumeze for appointment as president, customary court of appeal, Delta State.
“All recommended candidates are expected to be sworn-in after approval by President Buhari, and their respective state governors and confirmation by the national assembly and the respective states houses of assembly.
“Council at the meeting deliberated on the reports on 24 petitions written against 29 judges presented by its preliminary complaints assessment committee and decided to empanel an investigation committee against one judge and issued two strong warning letters against two judges of the federal and state high courts.
“Council decided to issue strong warning letters to Justices Mufutau Olokoba and M. A. Savage of the Lagos State High Court.”
“It also resolved to set up a medical board to ascertain the health status of one Judge.
“All recommended candidates are expected to be sworn-in after approval by the President, Buhari, and their respective State Governors and confirmation by the National Assembly and the respective States Houses of Assembly”, the council added.
More so, the NJC said it had also at the meeting, deliberated on the Reports on 24 petitions written against 29 Judges. Council said Justice Olokoba was also put on the watch list of the Council for his failure to deliver judgment within the Constitutional period of 90 days and Justice Savage was reprimanded for not being in charge of his Court.
“The remaining petitions were summarily dismissed for obvious and manifest lack of merit, being sub-judice, overtaken by events or that such petitions were matters for appeal.
“The dismissed petitions were against Hon. Justices Rita Pemu, Ita G. Mbaba and Theresa Orji-Abadua all of Owerri Division of the Court of Appeal; Justices O. O. Oguntoyinbo and A. Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Anslem A. Nwaigwe, Chief Judge of Ebonyi , Justices M. A. Abubakar, Binta Rijau of Niger State High Court, Maurice Eneji of Cross River and Kulu Aliyu, Chief Judge, Zamfara.
