ABUJA – The Senate on Tuesday confirmed the appointment of eight Justices as Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
This was made known after a thorough screening of the nominees by the Senate committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters chaired by Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, Ekiti Central.
The Senate at its Plenary Sitting on Wednesday 30th September, 2020, deliberated on Mr. President’s request, for the confirmation of the nominations of Hon. Justice M. Lawal Garba, JCA (North-West); Hon. Justice Helen M. Ogunwumiju, JCA (South-West); Hon. Justice Abdu Aboki, JCA (North-West); Hon. Justice I. M. M. Saulawa, JCA (North-West); Hon. Justice Adamu Jauro, JCA (North-East); Hon. Justice Samuel C. Oseji, JCA (South-South); Hon. Justice Tijjani Abubakar, JCA (North-East); and Hon. Justice Emmanuel A. Agim, JCA (South-South), for appointment as Honourable Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, and referred same to this Committee, for further legislative action and to report back with its recommendations.
The Committee interviewed the Hon. Justices and received explanations regarding their qualifications, experience, suitability, competence and integrity to assume the positions of Hon. Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
The Committee, after the screening exercise, deliberated on the nominees’ suitability for appointment as Honourable Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria and made the following observations:
That the appointment of the nominees, satisfied the requirement of Sections 230 (2) and 231 (1) and (2) and (3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), which makes provisions for the appointment of Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria; and the Senate Standing Orders 2015, as amended;
That the nominees possess the requisite qualifications, integrity, leadership qualities and comportment to discharge judicial responsibilities as Honourable Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria;
That upon confirmation of the appointment of the nominees by the Senate, all the Geo-political Zones will be represented by 3 or 4 Justices, as the case may be, except the North-Central Zone, which will maintain its current 2 Justices on the Bench of the Supreme Court of Nigeria;
That the reason why the North-Central zone has 2 Justices unlike other zones, as indicated in paragraph 3 above, can be attributed to the fact that during the selection process, the nomination from the zone was stood down by the selection Committee for a further review of the nomination by the Federal Judicial Service Commission;
That necessary steps are being taken to meet the full complement of the maximum number of Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigerian, in line with the constitutional provision. In this regard, one more appointment from the North-Central Zone, which is in the offing, will complete the maximum number of Justices and balance the representation, across the geo-political zones;
That the appointment of Eight (8) Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria at one stretch, is a bold step taken by Mr President to further strengthen the Judiciary to meet up with the Challenges of the 21st Century; being the first time ever, that the country will be having 20 Justices on the Bench of the Supreme Court of Nigeria;
That there is no petition against the nominations of any of the nominees; the nominees having been widely supported and commended by a cross section of Nigerians on their nominations by Mr President, as Honourable Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria;
That there are no adverse reports against the nominees, as record checks and other forms of investigations by security agencies, did not reveal any negative trace against them;
That the Committee is satisfied about their qualifications, experience, suitability, competence and integrity to assume the positions of Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria; and
That the nominees are fit and proper persons for appointment as Honourable Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
The Senate President while confirming the appointment urged the Justices to do all within its power to ensure that the legal profession under go all the necessary reforms that will meet up with international standards.
