The Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Tanko Muhammad, has asked his colleagues on the bench of the Supreme Court to nominate suitable candidates for appointment as justices of the apex court.
The acting CJN made the request in a memo, titled ‘Appointment of Six Justices to the Supreme Court of Nigeria,’ stating however that those to be nominated by the justices must have proven competence to occupy the bench of the supreme court.
It read: “By the provisions of section 230(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, the Supreme Court of Nigeria shall consist of the CJN and such number of justices of the Supreme Court, not exceeding twenty-one, as maybe prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly.
“As there are 15 justices on the bench at present, it is necessary to take steps to fill the remaining six vacancies to make 21 justices.
“I shall be grateful if you could nominate suitable candidates for consideration for appointment as justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria”.
He added that nominations should be accompanied with 10 judgments delivered by nominee in contested cases in the last two years preceding the date of nomination in the case of judicial officers and 10 Judgments obtained in contested cases five years preceding the date of nomination in the case of legal practitioners in private practice and certified by competent authorities.
The justices, who have up till Tuesday (today) to send in their nominees, were also comment on the suitability of the candidates nominated by them.
This is aimed at meeting the constitutional requirements of 21 justices on the bench of the Supreme Court.
The court, after the voluntary retirement of former CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen earlier in June 2019, presently has 15 justices.
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