The National Judicial Council (NJC) will forward the names of 11 successful candidates who were screened for the position of Supreme Court justices on Friday, to President Bola Tinubu for appointment.
It also gathered that 22 priority and reserved candidates were shortlisted and screened on Tuesday at the Committee Room of the NJC in Abuja from 9 am to 6 pm.
The priority candidates include Justice Jummai Sankey, Justice Stephen Adah, Justice Mohammed Idris, Justice Abubakar Umar, Justice Chidiebere Uwa, Justice Obande Ogbuinya, Justice Ugochukwu Ogakwu, Justice Moore Adumein and Justice Habeeb Abiru.
The names of the reserved candidates are Justice Muhammad Sirajo, Justice Ridwan Abdullahi, Justice Joseph Ikyegh, Justice Abubakar Talba, Justice Balkisu Aliyu, Justice Abdullahi Bayero, Justice Onyekachi Otisi; Justice Theresa Orji-Abadua, Justice Chioma Nwosu-Iheme, Justice Biobele Georgewill, and Justice Oyewole Kayode.
Speaking to The PUNCH, a source at the National Judicial Council said that the names of the shortlisted justices were cleared by the various security agencies, including the Department of State Services (DSS) and police before they were forwarded to the NJC.
The source said the names should be forwarded to President Tinubu after the NJC plenary.
The source said: “The screening was done today (Tuesday). It started at 9 am and lasted till 6 pm. The screening of justices was held in the committee room of the NJC. Their names were earlier sent to security agencies for clearance before they came to the NJC.
“The interview committee comprising members of the council is the one conducting the screening for the shortlisted justices. That committee is headed by the second in command, which is Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.
“The council will meet, and the names of successful candidates will be ratified. After the plenary, the names of the ratified justices will be immediately sent to the President. The plenary should be concluded at most in the next two days.”
The NJC guideline for the appointment of justices to the apex court stipulates that the Chairman of the Judicial Service Commission/Committee is expected to come up with a provisional shortlist on the merits.
The list is to consist of not less than twice the number of judicial officers intended to be appointed at the particular time and circulate the provisional shortlist together with a request for comments on the suitability or otherwise of any of the shortlisted candidates.
The list is then forwarded to the NJC for its consideration of each of the short-listed candidates.
The candidates who have been shortlisted shall undergo an interview by the NJC to ascertain his or her suitability, after which the names of the successful candidates are forwarded to the President.
