The Supreme Court has fixed February 10, 2025 for the hearing of five separate cases instituted by the camps of the Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara and the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, at the apex court. A 5-member panel of the apex court, led by Justice Uwani Musa Aba-Aji, yesterday ordered an adjournment in the cases to enable the parties to file and serve the necessary court documents in the separate appeals. For ease of determination, however, the court ordered the consolidation of four of the appeals, following a request…
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H’Reps mulls separating AGF, Justice Minister’s offices
The 10th House of Representatives is considering a Bill to separate the offices of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) from that of the Minister of Justice. The Bill, co-sponsored by two Peoples Democratic Party lawmakers, Mansur Soro (Darazo/Ganjuwa Federal Constituency, Bauchi State) and Oluwole Oke (Osun) is receiving legislative input from the House Committee on Constitution Review, chaired by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu. Offices of the Attorney-General of a State will also be separated from the Commissioner of Justice, if the Bill scales through. The Bill is seeking…
Read MoreJudiciary, Media key pillars of democracy – CJN
Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has described the Judiciary and the Media as critical pillars of democracy, highlighting their complementary roles in upholding justice and accountability in society. Justice Kekere-Ekun, represented by the Secretary of the National Judicial Institute (NJI), AbdulAziz Olumo, made this assertion at the 2024 National Conference of the National Association of Judiciary Correspondents, (NAJUC), in Abuja. According to her, the Judiciary serves as the “guardian of justice, equity, and the rule of law,” while the Media acts as “the conscience of society, disseminating…
Read MoreS’Court dismisses States govs. suit challenging constitutionality of EFCC, ICPC, NFIU Acts
The Supreme Court, on Friday, dismissed the suit instituted by 16 States of the federation against the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), challenging the constitutionality of the acts establishing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) and two others. The other agencies are the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, (NFIU). A 7-member Justices, in a unanimous judgment, held that the suit was unmeritorious. In the lead judgment by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, the Supreme Court resolved the six issues raised for…
Read More“Stop Wike, Govs. from inducing judges with cars, houses” – SERAP urges Tinubu
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP), has urged President Bola Tinubu to stop the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and Nigerias 36 State governors from usurping the authority and responsibilities of the National Judicial Council (NJC) and Heads of courts through the giving of cars and houses to judges. According to SERAP, in a letter issued yesterday, dated Nov. 9, 2024, and signed and released by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, these actions likely indicate that the Judiciary is becoming submissive to the Executive arm of…
Read MoreRivers: CJN intervenes in crisis, summons judges over conflicting court rulings
Chief Justice of Nigeria, (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has stepped into the political crisis in Rivers State, which has seen Governor Siminalayi Fubara battle with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike. The CJN has now summoned judges involved in conflicting rulings on political cases in the State. A panel of the National Judicial Council will probe the judges, and Justice Kekere-Ekun has ordered the report to be submitted this week. The panel, headed by a former Court of Appeal justice, includes two heads of courts. The CJN has also summoned the Chief…
Read MoreHURIWA kicks against Wike, Tinubus move to build houses for judges
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, (HURIWA), has attributed judicial corruption to undue influence exerted by the Executive branch on the Judiciary. HURIWA stated this while citing a recent development where the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), Minister, Nyesom Wike, announced plans to build 40 houses for Justices of the Court of Appeal, Federal High Court, and other senior judicial officers. According to reports, Wike revealed that President Bola Tinubu had approved the construction of the houses, which includes retirement homes for the Chief Judges of the FCT Federal High…
Read MoreCJN to swear in 87 new SANs Monday
Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, will swear in 87 new Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) on Monday, at the main courtroom of the Supreme Court, Abuja. A statement issued by the Courts Director of Information and Public Relations, Festus Akande, on Friday, said the ceremony is part of programmes lined up to mark the formal commencement of the 2024/2025 legal year. During the event, Justice Kekere-Ekun will deliver a state-of-the-judiciary address to highlight the performance of the Supreme Court in particular, and the Nigerian Judiciary in general,…
Read More“Focus on justice, not self-enrichment” – CJN Kekere-Ekun urges newly appointed judges
Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, and the Administrator of the National Judicial Institute (NJI), Justice Salisu Abdullahi, have advised judicial officers to desist from seeing their appointment as an opportunity for self-enrichment. Justices Kekere-Ekun and Abdullahi said the judicial officers should see their appointment as a divine call to address injustice, protect the rule of law and safeguard the peoples fundamental rights. Both senior jurists spoke yesterday in Abuja, at the opening of a week-long second induction course, with the theme: “Repositioning the Courts for Better…
Read MoreTinubu swears-in Acting CJN, Kekere-Ekun
Urges her to ‘be loyal to Nigerias Constitution’ President Bola Tinubu yesterday administered the oath of office to Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun as the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), pending her confirmation by the 10th Senate. The swearing-in of the 23rd CJN, and the second female justice to hold the office, took place at the Council Chamber of the State House, Abuja. Justice Kekere-Ekun will succeed Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, who bowed out on Thursday after clocking the retirement age of 70 years. In his remarks, President Tinubu urged the acting…
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