Follow Us on Google
From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has urged the Senate to approve the increase of Appeal Court justices to 110 from the current 90 as well as that of the Federal High Court to 90 from the 70 justices.
He also forwarded the name of Oyewole Joseph for confirmation as a Justice of the Supreme Court.
These requests were contained in a letter read by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, yesterday at plenary, when senators reconvened from their Christmas and New Year break.
The bills are for the amendment of the existing Court of Appeal Act, 2004 and the Federal High Court Act, 2004 to increase the number of justices in both courts, primarily.
They are also proposing electronic and visual transmission of the proceedings of the court as well as update of the operational terminologies in the current law.
In the new amendment sought by Tinubu, he explained that the Federal High Court Act which originally provided for 50 justices until 2009 when the number was increased to 70, need more justices owing to more workload the court would undertake.
This additional work, he explained, includes terrorism and taxation, making it necessary for more justices with professional competence in those areas to be brought in.
President Tinubu has also urged the Senate to amend the Federal High Court Act to increase the statutory number of Justices of the Federal High Court from 70 to 90.
Tinubu said Section 1 (2) of the Federal High Court Act Cap F-12 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 originally provided for a maximum of 50 judges.
He, however, said the number was increased to 70 by its amendment in 2005. He said the number remained the current status strength of the court to date.
“It is noted that the court now bears a substantial and expanding responsibility for the prosecution of terrorism-related offenses, transnational organised crimes and other matters touching directly on national security.
“The senate is invited to note that a proposed increase of the Federal High Court judges from 70 to 90 will significantly improve the judge to ration, and enhance the speed and quality of adjudication
“It will allow for greater judicial specialisation in technically demanding areas such as terrorism, financial crimes, taxation, intellectual property and maritime law.
“In view of the foregoing, I hereby present the Federal High Court Amendment Bill 2025 and trust that the senate will consider passage of the bill expeditiously.
“Please accept, Distinguished Senate President and Distinguished Senators, the assurances of my highest consideration and personal regards.”
Akpabio, thereafter, committed the bill to the Committee on Rules of Business for further legislative actions.
