Applications of non-insiders go into the bin, the ‘slots’ had all been allocated to the sons, daughters, wives… Odinkalu on NJC’s list of 80 prospective judges

[View Full List of Candidates]

In what many considered to be a groundbreaking move, the National Judicial Council (NJC) introduced a policy aimed at enhancing transparency and accountability in the appointment of judicial officers to Superior Courts of Record in Nigeria.

A statement issued today by the NJC announced that all judicial appointment memoranda—previously received from various Judicial Service Commissions and pending before the Council—will now be published at the initial stage as part of comprehensive reforms in the judicial appointment process.

In line with its 30 April 2025 pledge that the names of candidates being considered for appointment as Judicial Officers to Superior Courts of Records will be published for information and comments by the public, the NJC has released the list of candidates for appointment.

However, an ex-Chair of the National Human Rights Commission and law teacher, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, in a series of tweets today (5 May, 2025) via his X (formerly Twitter) handle, alleged that the publication is subterfuge as the preferred candidates have already been selected.

Odinkalu also revealed that in a particular round of appointments, the request to the Nigerian Bar Association went out as the process formally closed. Then the responses as well as the applications of candidates who were not insiders went into the bin.

“The @njcNig has released names of 80 candidates for judicial office in superior courts of record, including 53 to the High Court; 20 to Sharia Courts of Appeal; 7 to Customary Courts of Appeal & 2 state CJs. That’s useful but far from enough….

“The announcement by @njcNig invites the public to provide information or feedback on the candidates within 14 days & rightfully warns that spurious or false information will attract consequences. It also provides an e-mail address for those interested: [email protected].

“There are some issues that @njcNig must address. 1st, the announcement does not disclose what will follow at the end of the 14 days. Ppl who don’t have a credible assurance as to how information that they provide will be handled, are unlikely to respond with enthusiasm.

“2nd, it’s not clear that @njcNig has the capacity to credibly handle or process a possible deluge of #OpenSource information of the kind it is asking for in the digital age. While the intention may be good, the process needs to be more carefully thought through if it’s to help.

“3rd, previous experience lends credence to these. It was a requirement until now that the Council had to invite feedback on appointment rounds from @NigBarAssoc. In most of the appointments in the tenure of the immediate past #CJN, nothing was done with the comments from NBA.

“Indeed, in 1 particular round of appointments into a popular High Court in the country in the past 2 yrs, the request to @NigBarAssoc went out as the process formally closed. Then the responses as well as the applications of candidates who were not insiders went into the bin.

“As it turned out, the ‘slots’ had all been allocated to the sons, daughters, wives & relatives of some ‘owners of the judiciary’ & the process of inviting @NigBarAssoc to comment was a cover for affording a figleaf of legitimacy to brazen looting of judicial appointments.

“What needs to change is more than just inviting the public to send comments to @njcNig with no indication as to what happens next. If @njcNig wants to be taken seriously, it needs to show a capacity to process what it’ll get & the will to assure that what it gets will matter.”

The NJC approval given during the Council’s 108th Meeting held on April 29-30, 2025, resulted in the publication of 80 shortlisted candidates for various judicial positions across multiple states.

The list includes two candidates for the position of Chief Judge in Ekiti State and 78 other nominees for positions as Judges of High Courts (53), Kadis of Sharia Courts of Appeal (20), and Judges of Customary Courts of Appeal (7) across nine states including Cross River, Delta, Kano, Katsina, Niger, Ogun, Plateau, Zamfara, and Ebonyi.

In line with the new transparency initiative, the NJC has invited public participation in the vetting process, requesting written comments on the candidates’ integrity, reputation, and suitability for judicial appointment within fourteen days.

“Each complaint or comment must be specific and supported with sufficient particulars,” the statement noted, adding that submissions must be accompanied by a verifying affidavit deposed to before a Superior Court of Nigeria or any Notary Public.

The Council warned against false and unsubstantiated complaints, emphasizing that “there will be consequences” for such actions.

Written submissions can be sent to the Office of the Secretary of the NJC at the Supreme Court Complex, Three Arms Zone, Abuja, or via email to [email protected].

APPOINTMENT OF JUDICIAL OFFICERS TO SUPERIOR COURTS OF RECORD CALL FOR COMMENTS

As part of ongoing efforts toward comprehensive reforms in the judicial appointment process, the National Judicial Council (NJC), at its 108th Meeting held on 29th and 30th April 2025, approved a groundbreaking policy aimed at enhancing transparency and accountability in the appointment of Judicial Officers to Superior Courts of Record in Nigeria.

Under the newly adopted policy, all memoranda on judicial appointments—previously received from various Judicial Service Commissions and pending before the Council—shall now be published at the initial stage.

List of Shortlisted Candidates

I. For Appointment as Chief Judge

S/N	Name	Jurisdiction
1	Hon. Justice Adekanye Lekan Ogunmoye	Ekiti
2	Hon. Justice Ogunyemi Olusegun Isaac	Ekiti

II. For Appointment as Judges of the High Courts, Kadis of the Sharia Courts of Appeal, and Judges of the Customary Courts of Appeal

HIGH COURT JUDGES (Total: 53)

• Glory Bassey Edu – High Court, Cross River
• Melody Bassey Irem – High Court, Cross River
• Ukuli Irene Boeye – High Court, Delta
• Otite Jonah Akporuaro – High Court, Delta
• Adamidenyo Otome Benjamin – High Court, Delta
• Sam-Oligida Jereoma – High Court, Delta
• Ogbimi Samuel Okpighe – High Court, Delta
• Etanabene Gloria Oghoteru – High Court, Delta
• Nafisa Yusuf Hassan – High Court, Kano
• Halima Yahuza Ahmad – High Court, Kano
• Musa Ibrahim Umar – High Court, Kano
• Abdulkadir Mustapha – High Court, Kano
• Amina Bashir Albasu – High Court, Kano
• Abdullahi A. Bature – High Court, Kano
• Fadila Muhammad Dikko – High Court, Katsina
• Abdulrahman Yammama Shamsuddeen – High Court, Katsina
• Amina Ibrahim Danmusa – High Court, Katsina
• Maryam Umaru Abdullahi – High Court, Katsina
• Mustapha Hassan Ruma – High Court, Katsina
• Basira Umar Faruk – High Court, Katsina
• Abdur-Rahman Umar – High Court, Katsina
• Abubakar Mohammed Dikko – High Court, Katsina
• Ahmed Ndajiwo – High Court, Niger
• Sa’adatu Gambo – High Court, Niger
• Adamu Abubakar – High Court, Niger
• Suleiman B. Wushishi – High Court, Niger
• Isah Adamu Evuti – High Court, Niger
• Abdullahi Alkali – High Court, Niger
• Murtala M. B. Ibrahim – High Court, Niger
• Hauwa Kulu Isah – High Court, Niger
• Adebayo Julius Ojikutu – High Court, Ogun
• Adejumoke Oluwatoyin Adewole – High Court, Ogun
• Oluyemisi Olukemi Adebo – High Court, Ogun
• Fatimat Adeola Daudu – High Court, Ogun
• Oludotun Olaniyi Osho – High Court, Ogun
• Olakunlehin Luqman Oke – High Court, Ogun
• Andrawus Maikai – High Court, Plateau
• Tongret N. Kparbong – High Court, Plateau
• Kingsley Mangai Mallan – High Court, Plateau
• Diane Ngummal Nkwap – High Court, Plateau
• John Ishaku Mantu – High Court, Plateau
• Gavou Bature Musa – High Court, Plateau
• Tapmwa Gotep – High Court, Plateau
• Eric Rinmial Naron – High Court, Plateau
• Pekes Habila Ezekiel – High Court, Plateau
• Dajan Manasseh Dakogol – High Court, Plateau
• Lyop Plyo – High Court, Plateau
• Zakka Dung – High Court, Plateau
• Sirajo Garba Aliyu – High Court, Zamfara
• Rabi Bashir – High Court, Zamfara
• Nasiru Abdullahi – High Court, Zamfara
• Aishatu Jibrin – High Court, Zamfara
• Rukubatu Aliyu Kanoma – High Court, Zamfara
• Abubakar Aliyu Salisu – High Court, Zamfara

CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL JUDGES (Total: 6)

• Ojeikere Bridget Onome – Customary Court of Appeal, Delta
• Okah Stella Ovuorieroro – Customary Court of Appeal, Delta
• Okeri Efe – Customary Court of Appeal, Delta
• Tomoloju Ojigho Dorcas – Customary Court of Appeal, Delta
• Ogodo Lynda Nneka – Customary Court of Appeal, Ebonyi
• Amaka Dickson Edmund – Customary Court of Appeal, Ebonyi

SHARIA COURT OF APPEAL JUDGES – KATSINA (Total: 6)

• Mutawakkil Mustapha Salis – Sharia Court of Appeal, Katsina
• Isah Usman Ibrahim – Sharia Court of Appeal, Katsina
• Uzairu Muhammad Dauda – Sharia Court of Appeal, Katsina
• Ibrahim Abdullahi Yakubu – Sharia Court of Appeal, Katsina
• Musa Sani Mara – Sharia Court of Appeal, Katsina
• Bala Salisu – Sharia Court of Appeal, Katsina

SHARIA COURT OF APPEAL JUDGES – NIGER (Total: 6)

• Jibrin Alhaji Usman – Sharia Court of Appeal, Niger
• Hassan Ibn Muhammad – Sharia Court of Appeal, Niger
• Suleiman Ibrahim Muhammad – Sharia Court of Appeal, Niger
• Usman Abdulrahman Aboki – Sharia Court of Appeal, Niger
• Ya’aba Mohammed – Sharia Court of Appeal, Niger
• Muhammad Nasir Ibrahim – Sharia Court of Appeal, Niger

SHARIA COURT OF APPEAL JUDGES – PLATEAU (Total: 2)

• Badamasi Adam Kabir – Sharia Court of Appeal, Plateau
• Lawal Suleiman – Sharia Court of Appeal, Plateau

SHARIA COURT OF APPEAL JUDGES – ZAMFARA (Total: 6)

• Jibril Ibrahim – Sharia Court of Appeal, Zamfara
• Sanusi Muhammad Magami – Sharia Court of Appeal, Zamfara
• Sha’aban Mansur – Sharia Court of Appeal, Zamfara
• Sharif Ibrahim Jangebe – Sharia Court of Appeal, Zamfara
• Abdullahi Usman – Sharia Court of Appeal, Zamfara
• Aliyu Muhammad Madacci – Sharia Court of Appeal, Zamfara

Total Number of Candidates: 80

Key Guidelines for Public Participation in Judicial Appointments

The NJC invites the public to submit comments on the shortlisted candidates on their integrity, reputation, and suitability for judicial appointment.

All comments or complaints must be submitted IN WRITING to the Office of the Secretary of the NJC or via email within fourteen (14) days from the date of publication of this notice.

Postal address: National Judicial Council, Supreme Court Complex, Three Arms Zone, Abuja

Email address: [email protected]

Each complaint/comment shall be accompanied by a verifying affidavit deposed to by the writer before a Superior Court of Nigeria or any Notary Public. Accordingly, the public is advised