The reform agenda, exclusively obtained by our reporter, had been approved by the National Judicial Council (NJC) and already in the possession of the National Judicial Institute (NJI), as implementation is set to commence on all the issues requiring administrative actions. The reforms, as tabled by Onnoghen, covered appointments, judgment submitted for returns of cases, verification and endorsement of judgments by heads of court, clearing of backlog of cases, inspectorate division, viability of courts, election tribunals, information technology and performance evaluation of judicial officers and their welfare. Other areas include sitting time and work days, disciplinary matters and regulations, public perception of the judiciary, pension and retirement benefits, judiciary budget as well as speedy dispensation of justice which will require constitution amendment. In the package, he also lifted some recommendations of the stakeholders’ report, which he acknowledged as “pertinent and useful and if implemented, would enhance administration of justice in Nigeria.” The stakeholders’ committee was set up by former CJN, Justice Dahiru Musdapher and headed by one of his predecessor-in-office, Justice Mohammed Uwais. With the all-clear given the agenda, a special committee would now be in place to vet the judgments turned in by judges on quarterly basis. The Judicial Service Commission/Committee will set up the body. According to him, “All magistrates and other judges of lower courts in virtually all the states of the federation do not submit quarterly returns of cases. Therefore, the Judicial Service Commission/Committee does not have the opportunity to assess their judgments, save probably when they submit same to the National Judicial Council when being considered for appointment to superior courts of record. “In view of the above and by virtue of paragraph 21 (i) of Part One of the Third Schedule of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, henceforth, all judges of lower court in the federation should submit returns of cases quarterly to the Judicial Service Commission/Committee for assessment. The Judicial Service Commissions/Committee shall set up a committee to receive and assess the judgements of the judges of lower courts quarterly, through Returns of Cases.”. On appointments, he directed that “all judges of lower courts and other public officers working in the judiciary and other arms of government, such as Chief Registrars, Secretaries, Deputy Registrars, Legal Officers, among others, will be required to write examinations and interviewed by the various Judicial Service Commissions/Committee, in addition to submission of copies of judgments to the National Judicial Council, when they are to be considered for judicial appointments. “This has become necessary in view of my experience when I was the chairman of the Interview Committee of the National Judicial Council on appointment of judicial officers; and the recent exercise carried out by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, when all the candidates shortlisted wrote examination and were interviewed by the court, and the best were chosen and forwarded to the Federal Judicial Service Commission for consideration. Thereafter, the best of the candidates were selected by the Federal Judicial Service Commission after interview, and sent to the National Judicial Council. The above will be included in the 2014 guidelines on appointment of judicial officers.” On quicker dispensation of justice, the acting CJN directed heads of court to move judges from less busy courts to those with overloaded cases within their jurisdiction, adding that “the heads of court should not, unless it is very necessary, assign very high profile and /or sensitive and complicated cases to their junior brother judges. Like it was the practice in the past and encouraged by the council, the heads of court should hear very high-profile cases themselves or assign them to the next most senior brother judge and in that order of seniority.” On NJC oversight functions, he stated that “further to the above oversight function of the council, from time to time, every retired judicial officer serving as a member of the council, including the two lay members, should visit any superior court of record within the zone he/she hails from, and like any other Nigerian citizen, sit at the court gallery and watch proceedings and take note of the court facilities, time of sitting, etc. Thereafter, the member will file a report to the council on his/her observations generally.” On accountability and ethics, Onnoghen directed that “travels outside Nigeria for judicial officers should be with the permission of the CJN, after such application has been made. A circular will be issued in that regard by my office very soon. “While judicial officers will be encouraged to build and occupy personal houses, they will not be allowed to buy official quarters allocated to Their Lordships by the judiciary or government, either in the headquarters or the divisions of the court outside the state capitals.” He also fixed three weeks for the conclusion of investigation of judicial officers petitioned by litigants or other Nigerians. According to him: “The Council (NJC) has been criticised in the electronic, print and social media for shielding and/or inaction or delay in investigating allegations levelled against judicial officers in the federation. Without considering the merit or otherwise of the criticisms, I urge members of council appointed to serve on any fact-finding committee to fast-track all investigations and submit their reports within three weeks. Further, in view of the increasing number of petitions written against judicial officers, more committees will be constituted by council to investigate the allegations therein. Consequently, all members of council will be required to serve on such committees, save those representing the Nigerian Bar Association.”. NJC also approved its request that retired judicial officers, who were past members of council, should serve on its fact-finding committees, considering the increasing workload of the council. On the controversial procedure adopted in suspending erstwhile President, Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami (now retired), Onnoghen called for a review. “Following the complaints made against the council on the manner it conducted its meeting when it deliberated in the report if its fact-finding committee on the allegations levelled against Justice I.A Salami and Justice A.I Katsina-Alu, I am constrained to request the council to consider the procedure regulating its meetings bordering on quorum, absence or disqualification of the chairman or deputy chairman of council as per year 2000 National Judicial Council Regulations and 2014 Judicial Discipline Regulations.” On election petition tribunals which have continually dragged judiciary into political space, Onnoghen ruled out all judicial officers that had participated at least twice in the exercise. The new position now is “judicial officers that have not had the opportunity of serving on election tribunal are to be recommended and appointed, instead of the current practice whereby some judicial officers are repeatedly appointed on the recommendation of their heads of court. Unless it is necessary, no judicial officer who has served twice on an election tribunal will be reappointed. This will allow every judicial officer appointed to also benefit from the experience gained as a chairman or member of the election tribunal.” On meeting the current global standard in the justice sector, he directed that “as Information Technology is invaluable in legal research, it should be made a compulsory subject in the Universities and Law School so as to produce IT knowledgeable lawyers that may be appointed as judicial officers someday. The National Judicial Institute will have to intensify IT training for existing judicial officers, judges of lower courts and other staff of the judiciary.” For accountability sake, he disclosed that “my office will monitor and supervise the 2017 budget of the judiciary through a consultant on budget and finance appointed by my humble self. A memorandum in that regard has already been circulated to members of council.” Onnoghen was appointed acting CJN by President Muhammadu Buhari on November 10, 2016 for three months as prescribed by the constitution. The acting tenure ends February 10, 2017. He was recommended to him by NJC as substantive CJN, but the president is yet to forward his name to the Senate for confirmation as of last Friday. He is the first CJN in almost 30 years from the Southern part of Nigeria. If confirmed, he will hold office till December 20, 2020 when he would be 70 years. He is the first in history to be appointed acting CJN, with the appointive authority in place to give effect to the completion of the appointment procedure. Source: tribuneonlineng]]>