Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, has urged the National Judicial Council (NJC) to avoid last-minute appointment of Supreme Court judges. Earlier, President Bola Tinubu’s letter seeking confirmation of the 11 justices was read at plenary.
The nominated judges to fill the vacant positions at the apex court following death and resignation of former occupants include: Justices Haruna Tsammani (Northeast); Moore Adumein (South-South); Jummai Sankey (Northcentral); Chidiebere Uwa (Southeast) and Chioma Nwosu-Iheme (Southeast).
Others are: Obande Ogbuinya (Southeast); Stephen Adah (Northcentral); Habeeb Abiru (Southwest; Jamilu Tukur (Northwest); Abubakar Umar (Northwest) and Mohammed Idris ( Northcentral).
Currently, the apex court operates with only 10 judges, falling short of the statutory requirement of 21 jurists.But speaking yesterday during their screening, Opeyemi observed: “I have this to say, first to the appointing authorities. The last time we experienced this kind of a thing was three years ago when I was Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, and we had to take dates of My Lord Justices together just like we are having today and today, it is 11 of you.
“My appeal on behalf of all of us to the appointing authorities is the need to avoid this kind of situation. These positions did not just become vacant in one day. I recall with a sense of patriotic pain how long this committee had to wait even after some days, list had been sent by the National Judicial Council, and the Senate had to wait for several months close to nine months for the names to be forwarded for whatever reason, either they waited for one person or the other to make their list.
“Today is 11 people. My hope and prayer is that in the Supreme Court already, we don’t have a class of 8, I pray that is not happening, but please let us not have a class of 11.
“As these vacancies occur, it is important that those who are next in line be screened and appointed immediately.
“To the Federal Government, generally, I will also want to say that what is happening here today also has its financial implications and the budget of the Federal Republic of Nigeria should speak to it. Appointment of judges comes with certain fiscal responsibility. They must have offices, they must have accommodation, they must be able to do their work with the basic paraphernalia of the office, including their vehicles.”
