- Bars Justices Inyang Ekwo, GB Brikins-Okolosi From Elevation For A Minimum Of Two Years
By Abiola Olawale
The National Judicial Council (NJC), under the leadership of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, has announced the recommendation of the appointments of 86 justices and judges for the Court of Appeal, High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), State High Courts, Sharia Courts of Appeal, and Customary Courts of Appeal of states across the country.
Among the 86 appointments recommended is Justice Nyesom-Wike Eberechi Suzzette, wife of Minister of the FCT, Chief Nyesom Wike.
The minister’s wife is among the high court Judges nominated for elevation to the Court of Appeal by the NJC on Friday, May 17.
Also, the daughter-in-law of the Chief Justice Ariwoola, Oluwakemi Victoria, is nominated for appointment as a Judge of the High Court of the FCT.
This was contained in a statement issued on Friday, May 17, by NJC’s Director (Information), Soji Oye.
Mr Oye revealed that the NJC at the meeting, also barred two Judges, Inyang Edem Ekwo of the Federal High Court and Justice G. B. Brikins-Okolosi of Delta State High Court, from elevation to the Appeal Court for between two and three years and issued them warning letters.
Justice Ekwo was warned for the abuse of discretionary power, by wrongly granting an ex-parte order in Suit No FHC/ABJ/C/626/2023 in Juliet Ebere Nwadi Gbaka & 2 others vs Seplat Energy Plc & 12 others.
He was barred from being elevated to a higher Bench for two years.
On the other hand, Justice Brikins-Okolosi of Delta State High Court was issued a warning letter for failure to deliver judgment within the stipulated period in Joseph Anene Okafor vs Skye Bank, suit No A/94/2010, after parties had filed and adopted their final written addresses.
Justice Brikins-Okolosi will also not be elevated to a higher Bench for three years.
The Council also cautioned Justice Amina Shehu of Yobe State High Court for issuing a Writ of Possession Conferring Title on the defendant, in Suit No YBS/HC/NNR/1cv/2020, when there was no subsisting judgement of any Court to enable His Lordship to issue the Writ.
The Council recommended the appointment of 22 Justices for the Court of Appeal.
They include Justice Nyesom-Wike Eberechi Suzzette of the Rivers State High Court; Justice Nnamdi Okwy Dimgba of the Federal High Court; Justice Olukayode Adegbola Adeniyi of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory; Justice Okorowo Donatus Uwaezuoke of the Federal High Court, and Justice Lateef Babajide Lawal-Akapo of the Lagos State High Court.
Others are Justice Kwahar Polycarp Terna; Justice Ruqayat Oremei Ayoola; Justice Eleojo Eneche; Justice Asma’u Akanbi-Yusuf; Justice Abdullahi Muhammad Liman; Justice Abdu Dogo; Justice Fadawu Umaru, and Justice Ishaq Mohammed Sani.
Also on the list are Justice Zainab Bage Abubakar; Justice Abdulazeez M. Anka; Justice Nwoye Victoria Tochukwu; Justice Nwabunkeonye Onwosi; Justice Ngozika Uwazurunonye Okaisabor, and Justice Ntong Festus Ntong; Justice Nehizena Idemudia Afolabi; Justice Akinyemi Abiodun Azeem, and Justice Oyewumi Oyejoju Oyebiola.
The NJC recommended the appointment of 12 Judges for the High Court of the FCT; seven for the Imo State High Court; six for the Bauchi State High Court; three for the Taraba State High Court; 13 for the Lagos State High Court, and four for Kogi State High Court.
It equally recommended the appointment of two judges for the Jigawa State High Court; five Kadis for the Bauchi Sharia Court of Appeal; five Kadis for the Kogi State Sharia Court of Appeal; one Kadi for the Jigawa State Court of Appeal, and three judges for the the Imo State Customary Court of Appeal.
The NJC also recommended the appointment of two judges for the Taraba State Customary Court of Appeal and one for the Kogi State Customary Court of Appeal.
Oye said the affected judicial officers will be sworn in after the approval of the NJC recommendations by the President and the relevant state Governors.
He said the NJC also resolved to issue warning letters to three judges and barred them from being elevated to a higher Bench for a certain period over alleged misconduct.
