The nomination of 22 justices for elevation to the Supreme Court bench is a response to the ongoing imperative to address the vacancies within the nation’s highest court,Daily Trust reports.
On Thursday, the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) unveiled a list of 22 justices, strategically chosen from the six geopolitical zones to fill the observed gaps on the bench. The list has been forwarded to the National Judicial Council (NJC) for further proceedings.
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The nominated justices are as follows:
North Central:
- Jumai Sankey (Plateau, priority)
- Muhammed Ibrahim Sirajo (Plateau, reserve)
- Stephen Adah (Kogi, priority)
- Ridman Maiwada Abdullahi (Nasarawa, reserve)
- Baba Idris (Niger, priority)
- Joseph Ikyegh (Benue, reserve)
North East:
- Haruna Tsammani (Bauchi, priority)
- Abubakar Talba (Adamawa)
North West:
- Muhammad Lawal Shuaibu (Jigawa, priority)
- Bello Aliyu (Zamfara, reserve)
- Abubakar Sadiq Umar (Kebbi, priority)
- Abdullahi Mahmud Bayero (Kano, reserve)
South East:
- Chidiebere Nwaoma Uwa (Abia, priority)
- Onyekachi Otisi (Abia, reserve)
- Obande Ogbuinya (Ebonyi, priority)
- Theresa Orji-Abadua (Imo, reserve)
- Chioma Nwosu-Iheme (Imo, reserve)
- Anthony Ogakwu (Enugu, priority)
South South:
- Moore Adumein (Bayelsa, priority)
- Biobele Georgewill (Rivers, reserve)
South West:
- Adewale Abiru (Lagos, priority)
- Olubunmi Oyewole (Osun, reserve)
The nomination of these justices is a direct response to the void created by the death or retirement of 12 justices in the past two years, leaving the apex court short of the 21 justices stipulated in Section 230 of the Nigerian Constitution, 1999. Retired Supreme Court Justice Musa Dattijo Muhammad’s complaint about the diminishing number of justices further fueled the decision to address the vacancies.
