Senate Confirms 11, Supreme Court Gets Full Bench For First Time

The Senate has confirmed the appointment of 11 Justices recommended for the Supreme Court bench.

The confirmation followed the consideration of a report of the screening and approval of the nominees presented by the Chairman Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno North), during plenary on Thursday.

The 11 confirmed Justices of the Supreme Court are Justice Jummai Sankey (North-Central), Justice Moore Adumein (South-South), Justice Haruna Tsammani (North-East), Justice Chidiebere Uwa (South-East), and Justice Chioma Nwosu-Iheme (South-East).

Others are Justice Obande Ogbuinya (South-East), Justice Stephen Adah (North-Central), Justice Habeeb Abiru (South-West), Justice Jamilu Tukur (North-West), Justice Abubakar Umar (North-West), and Justice Mohammed Idris (North-Central).

Before the screening and confirmation of these justices, the Supreme Court had been operating with only 10 justices, falling short of the statutory requirement of 21 judges. With their confirmation, this marks the first time in history that the Supreme Court has reached its full complement of 21 justices, as mandated by law.

In his contributions, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, APC, Abia North, said that the funds allocated for the Supreme Court from the 2024 budget should be reviewed upwards to ensure their effectiveness.

Kalu said, “The Senate should look at the budget of the judiciary because even the state courts are in a mess, so how can they give good justice? This is not the way it was before; we were doing better.”

Also in his contribution, Senator Seriake Dickson, PDP, Bayelsa West, said that in the event of subsequent vacancies, a provision for their immediate replacement should be made.

Senator Dickson said, “Anytime these vacancies occur, they should be filled immediately.

“I want to draw that to the attention of the president. There shouldn’t be delay so that we don’t become a laughing stock.”

Recall that President Bola Tinubu wrote to the Senate on Wednesday, December 20, 2023, seeking the screening and subsequent confirmation of the 11 justices recommended for the Supreme Court bench.

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, who read the letter on the floor of the Chamber thereafter, referred the nominees to the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, and Legal Matters for screening and further legislative input.

Thereafter, the committee members screened the nominees the same day.