NJC recommends appointment of four new S/Court judges, others

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

The National Judicial Council(NJC)yesterday, recommended the appointment of four new Supreme Court judges.
The recommendations were sent to President Muhammadu Buhari who has the powers to appoint the judges with the backing of the Senate.
Those approved are Adamu Jauro (North-East); Emmanuel A. Agim, (South-South); C. Oseji, (South-South); Helen M. Ogunwumiju, and (South-West).
Others are four (4) Heads of Court, Thirteen (13) Judicial Officers for Federal and State High Courts and one (1) Kadi, Sharia Court of Appeal;
The NJC also recommended the appointment of 13 judicial officers for federal and state High Courts.
In a statement released by the council and signed by NJC Director of Information, Soji Oye, the National Judicial Council presided over by Chief Justice of Nigeria, Honourable Dr. Justice Tanko Muhammad made the recommendation to the president at its Meeting of 22nd and 23rd October, 2019, having considered the list of candidates presented by its Interview Committee.
The statement partly reads; ‘We resolved to recommend to President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, and the Governors of Edo, Ondo, Akwa-Ibom, Kogi, Anambra, Taraba, Abia, Osun, Nasarawa and Jigawa States, twenty-two (22) successful candidates for appointment as Justices of the Supreme Court, Heads of Courts and other Judicial Officers in Nigeria.
“All the appointed Judges are expected to be sworn-in after the approval of the President and their respective State Governors and or confirmation by the Senate and State Houses of Assembly as the case may be.”
“Council at the Meeting deliberated on the Report of its Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committee and decided to empanel eight (8) Committees to investigate eight (8) Judicial Officers from amongst the 35 petitions written against 37 Judges of the Federal and State High Courts, while the remaining petitions were summarily dismissed for obvious and manifest lack of merit, being subjudice, concerning administrative matters, or that such petitions were matters for appeal.” the statement added.