The National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended the appointment of nine Heads of Courts and 84 other judicial officers who would after appointments serve at the Federal and State Courts, in preparation for challenges that may arise for the Judiciary in the coming general elections.
This was contained in a statement from the Council in Abuja stating that the candidates were presented for recommendations by its panel of interviews during its 100th Meeting presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.
The statement by NJC’S Director of Information Soji Oye listed those recommended for posts of Chief Judges to include Justice Muhammad Tukur Aliyu for Kaduna, Justice Majebi Joe for Kogi, Justice Odusola Olusegun for Ondo, Justice Halima Mohammed for Gombe and Justice Lilian Agbai for Abia State.
Others are Justice Abdulateef Kamaldeen as Grand Kadi, Kwara State, Justice Adekunle Lawal, President, Customary Court of Appeal, FCT, Justice Monisola Abodunde as President, Customary Court of Appeal in Ekiti and Justice Uhuo Uchenna as President, Customary Court of Appeal, Ebonyi State.
A breakdown of the recommended 84 Judicial officers showed that four are for Ondo High Court and they are Akinbinu Femi, Leonard Ologun, Bolatito Ajibade and Akinwumi Jacob.
The Customary Court of Appeal in Ekiti has three nominees and they are Babatope Ojo, Adegboye Adesoji and Ogundele Olufunke.
Borno State has five for appointment as Judges and they include Amina Mustapha, Ibrahim Maina, Hafsatu Bappah, Bukar Umar and Mallam Makinta while Anambra has two comprising Etomike Ndigwe and Tagbo Anieto.
The five nominated for the Sokoto High Court bench are Bashar Ibrahim, Fatima Ahmadu Suka, Abubakar Adamu, Kabiru Muhammad
and Amina Yabo while the Sharia Court of Appeal in the state has two nominees as Kadi and are Idris Adamu and Mustapha Abdullahi Ahmad.
Ogun State High Court has 8 nominees comprising Oluwafunke Odubanjo, Adelaja Ireti, Basirat Adebowale, Adebayo Adedapo, Ayodele Omoniyi, Sunday Adeniyi, Awofeso Babatunde and Abimola Shokunbi.
The two nominees for Bayelsa State High Court are Charlie Ebiyon Duke and Ekadi Amadise Michael while the six for Ebonyi State are Esther Awo Ota, BUkeni Ogoke Stella Ejituruchi, Ruth Obaji Okeh, Blessing Ibeabuchi Chukwu, Christopher Ofoke Mbam and Francis-Abba Solange Amaka.
The National Industrial Court of Nigeria has six nominees including Buhari Sani, Damachi-Onugba Agede Joyce, Hassan Muhammed Yakubu, Sandra Audu Yelwa, Subilim Emmanuel Danjuma and Muhammad Adamu Hamza.
Cross Rivers High Court has two nominees in persons of Okokon Edem Nyong and Amajama Jacob Eneji while the four for Adamawa High Court are Christopher Dominic Mapeo, Ahmed Isa, Mohammed Ibrahim Tola and Benjamin Lawan Manji.
Besides, Adamawa has one Kadi nominee for its Sharia Court of Appeal in person of Isa Yusuf Khalid while its Customary Court of Appeal has another one Judge nominee in person of Adabala Nicholas.
The breakdown showed that Rivers State High Court has five candidates comprising Asivosuo Maccarthy Oriye, Omonigho Nwibani, Comfort Ifikmotu- Awaji Adangor, Prince Chika Mini and Beauty Ihuoma Emmanuel-Okere while its Customary Court of Appeal has two Judges nominees, Odiki Daniel- Kalio and Tetenwi Ngeli Elerabari.
Zamfara High Court has four and they are Abdullahi Muhammad Gusau, Umar Adulnasir, Saad Garba Gurbin-Bore and Muntaka Ahmad Ya’akubu.
Osun State High Court has four nominees comprising Lasisi Muhammed Adebayo, Awe Micheal Oludare, Fatimah Adejoke Sodamade and Owolawi Joseph Olukunle while has one and is Adamu Mohammed Jajere as well as one Kadi for its Sharia Court of Appeal in person of Kasim Mohammed Kasim.
MUST READ:NJC warns 2 Judges, places One on watch-list
Kaduna State High Court bench has seven candidates and they are Yakubu Bodamasi, Abdullahi Isiaka, Buhari Mohammed Balarabe Bashir Shitu Yusuf, Nana Fatima Mohammed John Aku Ambi and Joyce Asabe Akaa’ahs.
Apart from the recommended seven high court Judges, NJC also sought for appointment of five Kadis for the Kaduna Sharia Court of Appeal and they are Aminu Ahmad Jumare, Nuhu Mahmud, Murtala Nasir, Abdulrahman Ibrahim and Mahdi Muhammad Suraj.
In the same vein, the Kaduna Customary Court of Appeal is to have three Judges and they are Dorothy Sim Inwulale, Atung Dorcaas Tabitta and Yusuf Yakubu.
The breakdown also showed that the Plateau State Customary Court of Appeal has only one Judge nominee in person of Jettei Pekun.
The NJC statement indicated that all recommended candidates would be sworn- in upon approval of their recommendations by their respective state governors and State Houses of Assembly.
Editor : Ena Agbanoma
