The National Judicial Council (NJC) has stated that it is unaware of the Federal Judicial Service Commission’s (FJSC) selection of 22 judges for the bench of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
Barrister Soji Oye, the NJC’s Director of Information, stated that he was unaware of the nomination.
According to reports, the FJSC handed the NJC a list of 22 justices from the Court of Appeal for consideration for elevation to the Supreme Court.
The FJSC list, which was revealed on Thursday, showed a regional dispersion of nominees, with North-Central and South East each having six nominees, North-East, South-West, and South-South each having two nominees, and North-West having four nominees.
This declaration came when it was revealed in September 2023 that the Supreme Court’s justices had been reduced to 10 from the constitutionally mandated 21.
Below is the list of the nominated justices:
SOUTH-EAST
1. Hon Justice Nwaoma Uwa (Abia State)-Priority
1A.Hon Justice Onyekachi Otisi (Abia State) -Reserve
2. Hon Justice Obande Ogbuinya (Ebonyi State)-Priority
2A. Hon Justice Theresa Orji-Abadua (Imo State)- Reserve
3. Hon Justice Anthony Ogakwu (Enugu State)-Priority
3A. Hon Justice Chioma Nwosu-lheme (Imo State)-Reserve
SOUTH-SOUTH
1. Hon Justice Moore Adumein (Bayelsa State)-Priority
1A. Hon Justice Biobele Georgewill (Rivers State)-Reserve
SOUTH-WEST
1. Hon Justice Adewale Abiru (Lagos State)-Priority
1A. Hon Justice Olubunmi Oyewole (Osun State)-Reserve
NORTH-CENTRAL
1. Hon Jummai Sankey (Plateau State)-Priority
1A. Hon Justice Muhammad Ibrahim Sirajo (Plateau)-Reserve
2. Hon Justice Stephen Adah (Kogi State)-Priority
2A. Hon Justice Ridman Maiwada Abdullahi (Nassarawa State) -Reserve
3. Hon Justice Baba Idris (Niger State)-Priority
3A. Hon Justice Joseph Ikyegh (Benue State)-Reserve
NORTH-EAST
1. Hon Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani (Bauchi State)-Priority
1A. Hon Justice Abubakar Talba (Adamawa State)
NORTH-WEST
1. Hon Justice Muhammad Lawal Shuaibu (Jigawa State)-Priority
1A. Hon Justice Bello Aliyu (Zamfara State) -Reserve
2. Hon Justice Abubakar Sadiq Umar (Kebbi State)-Priority
2A. Hon Justice Abdullahi Mahmud Bayero (Kano State)-Reserve
Although the NJC Director of Information did not outright deny the nomination, he declined to confirm it because it had not been brought to his attention.