President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has sought the Senate’s confirmation of the appointment of eleven justices of the Supreme Court.
President Tinubu’s request was contained in a letter addressed to the Senate President Godswill Akpabio and read at plenary on Wednesday.
In the letter, the Nigerian President said the request was in pursuant to Section 231 Subsection 2 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
The National Judicial Council (NJC), headed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, recommended the eleven nominees to President Tinubu.
The NJC made the recommendation after receiving a list of 22 nominees to fill the vacant positions at the Supreme Court.
The nominees have to be cleared by the Senate before they can be sworn in as Supreme Court justices.
The recommended justices are Haruna Simon Tsammani (North-east), who chaired the Presidential Election Petition Court; Moore Aseimo Adumein (South-south), Jummai Hannatu Sankey (North-central), Chidiebere Nwaoma Uwa (South-east), and Chioma Nwosu-Iheme (South-east).
Others are Obande Festus Ogbuinya (South-east), Stephen Jonah Adah (North-central), Habeeb Adewale Abiru (South-west), Jamilu Yammama Tukur (North-west), Abubakar Sadiq Umar (North-west), and Mohammed Baba Idris (North-central).
Senate President Akpabio referred the request to the Senate Committee on Judiciary for the screening of the nominees and further legislative input.
Currently, the Supreme Court bench operates with 10 justices which falls below the statutory requirement of 21 judges.
The current Chief Justice of Nigeria, Olukayode Ariwoola, has pledged to ensure the court has its constitutional number of judges.