Sixteen Months after Recall from Suspension, Abba Aji to Emerge Justice of Supreme Court as NJC Recommends Judicial Officers for Elevation

Segun Atanda/

Sixteen months after his recall from suspension in 2017, Justice Uwani Musa Abba Aji of the Court of Appeal is set to emerge as Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

Justice Abba Aji is on the list of candidates sent to President Muhammadu Buhari for appointment along with seven others recommended as Heads of Courts and Judicial Officers by the National Judicial Council (NJC).

NJC had last year during its 82^nd meeting directed six out of eight judges suspended in 2016 to resume work on June 7, 2017, after they were found not guilty, following a probe for alleged corruption by the Department of State Service (DSS).

To maintain the integrity and sanctity of the judiciary and sustain public confidence, the six judges including Justices Adeniyi Ademola, John Okoro, Hydiazira Nganjiwa, Musa Kurya, and Agbadu James Fishim, were ordered out of their duty posts following the request of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

According to a statement from the Chairman, National Judicial Council, Mr Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Omoghen, the names recommended to the President are:

APPOINTMENT OF ONE (1) JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT OF NIGERIA

1. i) Mr. Justice Uwani Musa Abba Aji, (JCA)

APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF JUDGE, ABIA STATE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE

1. i) Mr. Justice Onuoha Arisa Kalu Ogwe

APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF JUDGE, BENUE STATE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE

1. i) Mr. Justice Aondover Kaka’an

APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF JUDGE, OGUN STATE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE

1. i) Mr. Justice Mosunmola Arinola Dipeolu

APPOINTMENT OF THREE (3) JUDGES, OGUN STATE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE

1. i) Oludayo Oluwabamise Osunfisan
2. ii) Olusola Stephen Oloyede

iii)   Olatunde Hassan Oyajinmi

APPOINTMENT OF ONE (1) KADI SHARIA COURT OF APPEAL, KWARA STATE

1. i) Zakariyah Abdulrasaq

APPOINTMENT OF PRESIDENT, CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL, OYO STATE

1. Mr. Justice Eni Esan

The statement signed by NJC’s Director of Information, Mr Soji Oye, says the newly appointed candidates will be sworn-in after the approval of the President and their respective state governors as the case may be.