National Judicial Council Moves to Appoint New Supreme Court Justices

Alex Enumah in Abuja 

The office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, GCON, has commenced the process of appointing 11 new Justices to the Supreme Court Bench. This move comes amidst controversy over the exclusion of some regions in the court’s current composition, which has been largely unavoidable.

Currently, the Supreme Court has only 10 out of a total 21 Justices, the lowest number in its contemporary history, according to the CJN. The retirement and death of Justices representing the South East and North Central regions, has left those zones with no representation on the Apex Court. Sources close the National Judicial Council (NJC) chaired by the CJN, have revealed plans to fill the vacancies and bring the Supreme Court to its full complement for the first time ever. And, towards this end, the NJC is likely to elevate Justices from the Court of Appeal to fill six slots for the Southeast and North Central.

The 1999 Constitution requires each of the six geopolitical zones to have three representatives at the Supreme Court Bench. Filling the 11 vacant positions has become urgent, to ease the workload on existing Justices and ensure regional representation. The potential appointments are crucial to restore regional balance, and promote fairness within the Supreme Court. The CJN had decried the declining number of Supreme Court Justices as worrisome, and promised that measures to appoint more are being taken.

The remaining ten Justices of the Apex Court are CJN Ariwoola, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, who is next in line for the position of CJN, Justice Uwani Musa Abba Aji, Justice Helen M. Ogunwumiju, Justice John Inyang Okoro, Justice Lawal Garba, Justice I.N. M. Saulawa, Justice Adamu Jauro, Justice Tijjani Abubakar and Justice Emmanuel Akomaye Agim.