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From Fred Itua, Abuja
The Senate, yesterday, confirmed 11 Justices of the Supreme Court, barely 24 after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu submitted the names to the Upper Legislative Chamber.
The 11 shortlisted Justices, whose names were contained in Tinubu’s letter to the Senate, included Justice Haruna Tsammani (North-East); Justice Moore Adumein (South-South), Justice Jummai Sankey (North-Central), Justice Chidiebere Uwa (South-East) and Justice Chioma Nwosu-Iheme (South-East).
Others are Justice Obande Ogbuinya (South-East), Justice Stephen Adah(North-Central), Justice Habeeb Abiru (South-West), Justice Jamilu Tukur (North-West), Justice Abubakar Umar (North-West) and Justice Mohammed Idris (North-Central).
With all the recommended Justices confirmed, the South East and the North Central New have three representatives on the Supreme Court bench each.
The National Judicial Council (NJC) had recommended 11 nominees to the President for Supreme Court appointment.
The 11 candidates were shortlisted from 22 Court of Appeal Justices screened by the NJC headed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.
The Supreme Court currently has 10 Justices as opposed to the 21 constitutionally recommended.
The development had become a matter of public concern, particularly as only four out of the six geo-political zones of the country are represented on the Supreme Court bench.
While the South West and North East currently have three Justices each, the South South and North West have two each.
However, the South East and the North Central have no representation at all in the current arrangements.
The two zones lost their last representatives on the Supreme Court bench with the retirement of Justice Muhammad Dattijo from Niger State, (North-central), in October; and the death of Justice Centus Nweze from Enugu State (South-East) in July.
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio who presided during the confirmation hearing, frowned at situations where unnecessary cases like injunctions are handled by the Supreme Court.
Akpabio said the anomaly will be corrected during the Electoral Act Amendment public hearing and Constitution Amendment expected to commence in 2024.
Akpabio said until unnecessary issues are taken off from the table of the long list of duties of the Supreme Court, the apex body will continue to be overburdened and fail to deliver on its core mandate.
Senators, who spoke before the confirmation, had expressed concern over the delay in the appointment of justices for the Supreme Court bench.
Seriake Dickson, urged that in the event of subsequent vacancies, a provision for their immediate replacement should be made.
“Anytime these vacancies occur, they should be filled immediately. I want to draw that to the attention of the President. There shouldn’t be a delay so that we don’t become a laughing stock.”
Senate Leader, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, said it was important that those who are next in line be screened and appointed immediately as the vacancies occur at the apex court.
Orji Uzor Kalu, stressed that the funds allocated to the Supreme Court in the 2024 budget be reviewed upwards to ensure its effectiveness.
“The Senate should look at the budget of the Judiciary because even the state courts are in a mess. How can they give good justice? This is not the way it was before, we were doing better,” he said.
