Supreme Court Nomination Sparks Controversy: Judges And Retired Justices Voice Concerns

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The Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) unveiled the list last Thursday, sparking concerns among senior Justices who view the appointments as a potential catalyst for a direct confrontation between President Bola Tinubu and a broader segment of the Nigerian bench…CONTINUE READING

A senior Justice, speaking with Vanguard, expressed that the appointment of Supreme Court Justices has never been so highly politicized in Nigeria’s history.

Another Justice raised concerns about the controversial prioritization in the North-Central zone, where the son of a former Chief Justice of Nigeria was slated as a priority while a more seasoned jurist with over 15 years of experience in the Court of Appeal was placed as a reserve.

The ongoing process was deemed strange, particularly in the South-South, where the individual adjudged as the best was curiously listed as a reserve candidate.

Questions arose about how a candidate who did not make the initial shortlist emerged as a priority over someone considered the best.

In the North-West, Justice AB Gumel’s exclusion from the list, despite being the top-ranked jurist from his zone, raised eyebrows.

Similarly, in the South-West, concerns were voiced about a reserve candidate from 2019 who remains on the reserve list, while a Justice who had never been shortlisted was placed as a priority.

Some Justices feared that if not promptly addressed, the apparent discrepancies in the appointments could exacerbate low morale and discontent within the judiciary.

On the other hand, a respected member of the inner bar, Prof Yemi Akinseye George (SAN), commended the FJSC’s list, acknowledging the possibility of human error but still scoring the list 99.9%.