The Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) has recommended 12 judges to the National Judicial Council (NJC) for elevation from the Federal High Court to the Court of Appeal.
Justice James Omotosho
According to a document shared by human rights activist, Prof Chidi Odinkalu, seen by FACTSHEET, the “priority” list of 12 judges was sifted from a pool of 48 nominees drawn from across the country.
Odinkalu, a former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), revealed that the FJSC did a good job in the shortlist as several powerful politicians had pushed forward names of relatives and associates, but they were mostly stepped down by the commission.
According to the document, “Judges nominated by Judicial Officers of Superior Courts in Nigeria. A total of forty-eight names were forwarded by the President of the Court of Appeal to the Commission urging the Commission to approve twelve (12) out of the 48 candidates for onward transmission to the National Judicial Council for consideration and appointment as Justices of the Court of Appeal.”
Citing the applicable rules guiding judicial appointments, the document added: “As Rule 3(2) of the Revised National Judicial Council Guidelines and Procedural Rules provides for the submission of double the number of Judicial Officers intended to be appointed
The document further noted that the Commission acted under its constitutional powers in arriving at its decision. “Members of the Federal Judicial Service Commission in exercise of their power vide Paragraph 12(a) (iv) of Part I to the Third Schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999), as amended, hereby notify the National Judicial Council of their unanimous decision to recommend the following twelve (12) candidates as priority candidates.”
The recommended judges, drawn from different states of the federation, include: Bayelsa State: Hon. Justice Raphael Ajuwa; Benue State: Hon. Justice Ijohor M. Jennifer; Cross River State: Hon. Justice Abua Elias Ojie; Ebonyi State: Hon. Justice Emeka Nwite; Ekiti State: Hon. Justice Abodunde M. Oluwatoyin; Gombe State: Hon. Justice Abdulhameed M. Yakubu; and Katsina State: Hon. Justice Sanusi Kado.
Others are Kebbi State: Hon. Justice Sabiu Bala Shuaibu; Ogun State: Hon. Justice James K. Omotosho; Ondo State: Hon. Justice Ademola Enikuomehin; Plateau State: Hon. Justice Veronica Julcit Dadom; and Taraba State: Hon. Justice Dauda Njane Buba
The recommended judges will be considered by the National Judicial Council in line with its procedures for judicial appointments.