Amid protests from various civil society organizations and individuals, the wife of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Justice Nyesom-Wike Eberechi Suzzette, was among the high court Judges recommended for elevation to the Court of Appeal by the National Judicial Council NJC on Friday.
Also, the daughter-in-law of the Chief Justice of Nigeria CJN, Ariwoola Oluwakemi Victoria, was nominated for appointment as a Judge of the High Court, Federal Capital Territory at a meeting presided over by her father-in-law, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.
The NJC at the meeting, however, barred two Judges, Inyang Edem Ekwo of the Federal High Court and Justice G. B. Brikins-Okolosi of Delta State High Court, from elevation to the Appeal Court for between two and three years and issued them warning letters.
Justice Ekwo was warned for the abuse of discretionary power by wrongly granting an ex-parte order in Suit No FHC/ABJ/C/626/2023 Juliet Ebere Nwadi Gbaka & 2 others Vs Seplat Energy Plc & 12 others.
He was barred from being elevated to a higher Bench for two years.
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Justice G. B. Brikins-Okolosi of Delta State High Court was issued a warning letter for failure to deliver judgment within the stipulated period in Joseph Anene Okafor Vs Skye Bank, suit No A/94/2010 after parties had filed and adopted their final written addresses.
Justice G. B. Brikins-Okolosi will also not be elevated to a higher Bench for a period of three years.
The Council, however, cautioned Justice Amina Shehu of Yobe State High Court for issuing a Writ of Possession Conferring Title on the defendant in Suit No YBS/HC/NNR/1cv/2020 when there was no subsisting judgement of any Court to enable His Lordship issue the Writ
NJC at the meeting presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria CJN, Olukayode Ariwoola, considered two reports of its two preliminary Complaints Assessment Committees that filtered 35 petitions written against Judges of the Federal and State High Courts.
It subsequently set up eight Committees to further investigate the petitions that were found meritorious by the Committees.
At the meeting, petitions against various Judges were dismissed for lack of merit, evidence of misconduct, subjudice or that they were matters that could be appealed.
The dismissed petitions were against Justices A. M. Liman, A. A. Okeke, D. E. Osiagor of the Federal High Court, Justices Suleiman Bolaji Belgore, Bello Kawu both of the High Court of Federal Capital Territory, Hon Justices O. A. Chijioke, A. E. Akeredolu and Kadi M. U. El-Mainari who sat on Election Petition Tribunal in Edo State, Hon Justice Okey Paulinus Aneke, High Court Enugu State and Hon Justice C. Anya of Abia State.
Others are Justices M. A. Ikpambese and W. I. Kpochi both of Benue High Court, Hon Justices T. E. Chukwuemeka Chikeka Chief Judge and B. C. Iheka of Imo State High Court, Hon Justice Rose Godwin Soji of Nasarawa State High Court, Hon Justice T. J. Yakubu, High Court Taraba State, High Justices W. N. Danagogo and Chinwendu Nworgu, High Court Rivers State, Hon Justice C. C. Okaa, High Court Anambra State and Hon Justice Abdullahi Sulyman High Court, Kogi State.
The Council received notification of the retirements of three Judicial officers including that of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola and notification of the death of three Judges of the Federal and State Courts.
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NJC at the Meeting recommended 86 Judicial Officers for appointment to the Court of Appeal, High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Sharia Courts of Appeal and Customary Courts of Appeal of States in Nigeria.
22 high court judges are to be moved to the Court of Appeal and include Kwahar Polycarp, Terna, Ruqayat Oremei Ayool Eleojo Eneche, Asma’u Akanbi-Yusuf, Abdullahi Muhammad Liman, Abdu Dogo, Fadawu Umaru, Ishaq Mohammed Sani, Zainab Bage Abubakar and Abdulazeez M. Anka.
The rest are Nnamdi Okwy Dimgba, Nwoye Victoria Tochukwu, Nwabunkeonye Onwosi, Okorowo Donatus Uwaezuoke, Ngozika Uwazurunonye Okaisabor, Ntong Festus Ntong, Nehizena Idemudia Afolabi, Nyesom-Wike Eberechi Suzzette, Lateef Babajide Lawal-Akapo, Akinyemi Abiodun Azeem, Oyewumi Oyejoju Oyebiola and Olukayode Adegbola Adeniyi.
The NJC recommended 12 persons for the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory and they are Ademuyiwa Olakunle Oyeyipo, Bamodu Odunayo Olutomi, Anumaenwe Godwin Iheabunike, Odo Celestine Obinna, Hauwa Lawal Gummi, Abdurahman Usman, Buetnaan Mandy Bassi, Sarah Benjamin Inesu Avoh, Maryan Iye Yusuf, Ariwoola Oluwakemi Victoria, Lesley Nkesi Belema Wike and Munirat Ibrahim Tanko .
The 13 Judges nominees for Lagos high court bench are Sunmonu Tunde Bashiru, Azeez Fimisola Augusta, Alebiosu Olawale Lawal, Adewale Russel Musiliu, Popoola Oluwatosin Ajose, Anjorin-Ajose Tanimola Abdulwaheed, Muyideen Abdul-Raheem Tejumade, George Alfred Akingbola, Balogun Adegboyega Ganiu, Shonubi Adenike Kudirat, Badejo-Okusanya Yewande Jokotola, Layinka Oyeladun Amope and Ojuromi Nalirat Olayinka Oluwatosin.
Those picked for the Kogi State High Court bench are Ajesola Joseph Sunday, Ojoma Rachael Haruna, Kadiri Badama and Ezema Beatrice Ada while the two for Jigawa High Court are Mohammad El-Usman and Nilfa Abdullahi Gambo.
Five Kadis were recommended for Bauchi State Sharia Court of Appeal and are Ishaku Magaji, Abdurrahman Hassan Sabo, Bello Mohammed Sambowal, Muhyiddeen Mohammed and Mahmoud Idris Shehu Tiyin.
The five for the Kogi State Sharia Court of Appeal comprised Muhammad Muhammad Bello, Okino Isah Saidu, Yakubu Adavenge Abbas, Shaibu Ridwan Aliyu and Idris Alhaji Abdullahi while one for the Jigawa Sharia Court of Appeal is Mukhtar Shuaibu Adam.
The Imo State Customary Court of Appeal has three nominees and they are Everyman Ezenna Eleanya, Ofoha Sylvesta Uchenna and Ibeh Rosemond Oluchi while the two for Taraba State are Esther Tata and Benjamin Samuila Bawage.
Maryann Oziohu Otaru is the only nominee for the Kogi State Customary Court of Appeal.
A statement on Friday by the NJC Director of Information, Mr Soji Oye said all recommended candidates are expected to be sworn in after the approval of the NJC recommendations to the President and their respective State Governors.
Justice Ariwoola is expected to bow out of Nigeria’s judiciary in August this year.