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CJN Throws Open S’Court Justice Job To Lawyers
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Tanko Muhammad has included lawyers among those to be considered in the next round of appointments as Justices of the Supreme Court.
Muhammad, who doubles as chairman, Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC), announced this in a January 19, 2022 letter to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
According to the letter, six suitably qualified lawyers only would be selected from a pool of applicants from five of the country’s geopolitical zones.
They would fill six present or future vacancies on the apex court bench.
There are currently 16 justices on the Supreme Court bench, out of a maximum of 21, with some of them expected to retire soon.
Apart from the South-East that will get two slots, and the North-East which is excluded, the other zones would get one slot each.
The contents of the CJN’s letter were stated in a February 7, 2022, statement to lawyers signed by the Chairman, NBA Judiciary Committee, Dr. Babatunde Ajibade, SAN.
In the NBA’s statementby its Publicity Secretary, Dr. Rapulu Nduka, last Saturday, the CJN called for the nomination of suitably qualified persons for appointment to the Supreme Court of Nigeria to fill the “present or imminent vacancies.”
The CJN’s proposal responds to years of pressure by stakeholders, particularly the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (BOSAN), for its members and distinguished academics to be appointed to the topmost echelon of the nation’s Judiciary.
The proposal was not implemented by successive CJNs since the tenure of Justice Mohammadu Uwais who served between 1995 and 2006.
Since independence, the last two apex court justices to have been appointed from the bar were ex-CJN Justice Teslim Elias in 1972 and Justice Augustine Nnamani in 1979.
The NBA statement reads:”Dear colleagues, RE: APPOINTMENT OF SIX (6) JUSTICES FOR THE SUPREME COURT BENCH: CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST.
“The Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman, Federal Judicial Service Commission has by a letter dated 19th January, 2022, called for the nomination of suitably qualified persons for appointment to the Supreme Court of Nigeria to fill six present or imminent vacancies.
“Members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) from the geopolitical zones listed above who are suitably qualified and are interested in applying for an appointment to the Supreme Court Bench are enjoined to submit an expression of interest to the National Secretariat of the NBA on or before 21st February, 2022,” it said.
The statement directed lawyers to address their interest letter to the NBA president and that it should include the following:”A copy of the applicant’s Curriculum Vitae; A copy of the applicant’s Call to Bar Certificate; Evidence of payment of Bar Practicing Fees (BPF) for the past 10 years; Evidence of payment of NBA Branch Dues for the past 10 years; Evidence of attendance at conferences of the NBA; Evidence of membership of Sections or Fora of the NBA; Judgments delivered in contested cases the applicant conducted in the five years preceding 2022 certified by competent authorities for Legal Practitioners in Private Practice.
“It should also include A letter of good standing from the Chairman of the applicant’s Branch confirming that he or she possesses the qualities set out in Rule 4(4)(1)(a), (b) and (d) of the NJC’s Guidelines for the Appointment of Judicial Officers for Superior Courts of Record,” it said.
According to the guidelines, the qualities are ‘a) Good character and reputation, diligence and hard work, honesty, integrity and sound knowledge of the law and consistent adherence to professional ethics; as maybe applicable: ‘b) Active successful practice at the Bar, including satisfactory presentation of casesin Court as a Legal Practitioner either in private practice or as a Legal Officer in any Public Service;”d) Credible record of teaching law, legal research in a reputable University and publication of legal works …”
The statement added that upon receipt of the expressions of interest, the National Secretariat shall publish the names of the interested candidates and request comments thereon from members of the NBA.
As part of proposed reforms in the administration of the justice system, the NBA, in 2017, forwarded the names of six Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) and three other lawyers to then-Acting CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen for consideration for appointment as Supreme Court Justices.
Then NBA President, A.B. Mahmoud, had in a letter sent to the e-mails of all registered lawyers invited applications from suitably qualified legal practitioners to be appointed to the Supreme Court as provided in Section 231(3) of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
The section provides that: “A person shall not be qualified to hold the office of Chief Justice of Nigeria or a Justice of the Supreme Court unless he is qualified to practice as a legal practitioner in Nigeria and has been so qualified for a period not less than 15 years.”
Consequently, nine silks were shortlisted by the umbrella body of lawyers from 89 Expressions of Interest that were received.
The nominees were – Olisa Agbakoba (SAN); Anthony Idigbe (SAN); former Abia Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice Prof Awa Kalu (SAN); Yunus Usman (SAN) and Babatunde Fagbohunlu (SAN).
Others are Miannayaaja Essien (SAN) (1985, Rivers); Prof. Awa Kalu (SAN) (1978, Abia); Prof Awalu Yadudu (1979, Kano), Tajudeen Oladoja (1985, Kwara) and Ayuba Giwa (1983, Edo).
But the proposal did not sail through before Onnoghen’s exit.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.
Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”
During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.
The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.
In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.
News
RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers
The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.
This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.
Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.
The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.
He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.
According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.
At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.
He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.
Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.
According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.
At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.
He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.
Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.
He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.
However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.
At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.
He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.
Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.
Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.
In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.
At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.
Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.
Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.
John Bibor
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.
The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.
“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.
Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.
He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.
He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.
“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.
Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.
Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.
She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.