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Nigeria’s Chief Justice Ariwoola Approves Nomination Of Eberechi, Wife Of His Ally Nyesom Wike, 21 Others As New Appeal Court Judges

Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike from Rivers Judicial Council is on the list of nominees priority nominees sent to the Federal Judicial Council Commission.

The President of the Court of Appeal, Hon. Justice M.B Dongban-Mensem has requested the appointment of 22 new Justices to the Court of Appeal, which include the wife of Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.

Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike from Rivers Judicial Council is on the list of nominees priority nominees sent to the Federal Judicial Council Commission.

This follows the creation of vacancies by the elevation and retirement of some Justices of the Court of Appeal.

SaharaReporters learnt that the Federal Judicial Service Commission at its 92nd Meeting held on March 27, 2024, considered the Judges nominated by judicial officers of superior courts in Nigeria.

Eighty-nine names were forwarded by the President of the Court of Appeal to the Commission, urging the approval of 22 out of the 89 candidates for onward transmission to the National Judicial Council for consideration and appointment as Justices of the Court of Appeal.

SaharaReporters learnt that members of the Federal Judicial Service Commission have advised the National Judicial Council to nominate the following 22 persons as their priority for appointment as Justice of the Court of Appeal.

Justice Olukayode Ariwoola is the head of both the FJSC and the National Judicial Council.

In 2022, Ariwoola attended a dinner held in his honour in Port Harcourt by the Rivers State Government under then-Governor Nyesom Wike.

Ariwoola backed his kinsman and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, for his membership of the G5.

The G5 comprised five aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party governors – Wike, then-Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, then-Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and then-Enugu Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

The aggrieved governor called for fairness in the PDP, insisting that the then-National Chairman of the party, Senator Iyorcha Ayu, must step down to pave the way for someone from the South to succeed him, since the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, hails from the North.

“That is why we should not be scared to have these men of the integrity group. And I am happy that my own governor is among them because he would try to imitate his friend and in-law because we came here to marry for my governor.

“So, Governor Wike will always threaten that he will call back his sister if my governor fails to play ball. That is why you see him following his Excellency (Wike) because my governor is afraid of his wife being recalled,” he had said.

The nominees on the priority list as obtained by SaharaReporters for North-Central are as follows: Hon. Justice Polycarp Tema Kwahar, Benue; Hon. Justice Ruqayat Oremei Ayoola, Kogi; Hon. Justice Eneche Eleojo, Kogi; Hon. Justice Asma’u Akanbi-Yusuf, Kwara; Hon. Justice Abdullahi Muhammad Liman, Nasarawa; Hon. Justice Abdu Dogo, FCT

The nominee for North-East is Hon. Justice Fadawu Umaru, Borno.

North-West: Hon. Justice Ishaq Mohammed Sani; Kaduna; Hon Justice Zainab Bage Abubakar, Kebbi; Hon. Justice Abdulazeez M. Anka, Zamfara.

South-East: Hon. Justice Nnamdi Okwy Dimga, Abia; Hon. Justice Victoria Toochukwu Nwoye, Anambra; Hon. Justice Henry Aja-Onu Njoku, Ebonyi; Hon. Justice Donatus Uwnezuoke Okorowo, Enugu and Hon. Justice Ngozika N. Okaisabor, Imo.

South-South:

Hon. Justice Ntong Festus Ntong -Akwa Ibom

Hon. Justice Nehizena Idemudia Afolabi -Edo

Hon. Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike – Rivers

South-West

Hon. Justice Lateef Babajide Lawal-Akapo – Lagos

Hon. Justice Abiodun Azeem Akinyemi – Ogun

Hon. Justice Oyewumi Oyejoju Oyebiola – Oyo

4. Hon. Justice Bayo Ademola Taiwo – Oyo

The nominees on the reserve list are as follows:

North-Central

Hon. Justice Dorcas Venenge Agishi – Benue

Hon. Justice Dr. Folajobi Ajayi – Kogi

Hon. Justice Adamu Yahaya – Kogi

Hon. Justice Toyin Bolaji Adegoke – Kwara

Hon. Justice Rose Godwin Soji – Nasarawa

Hon. Justice Jacob Azi Atsem – Plateau

North-East

Hon, Justice Abdulhameed Mohammed Yakubu – Gombe

North-West

Hon. Justice Isa Aliyu – Kaduna

Hon. Justice Bello Ladan Raha – Kebbi

Hon. Justice Bello Mohammed Shinkafi – Zamfara

South-East

Hon. Justice Ory Zit-Tkeorha- Abia

Hon. Justice Obiora Atuegwu Egwuatu -Anambra

Hon. Justice Uwabunkeonye Onwosi  – Ebonyi

Hon, Justice Chukwujckwu Joseph Aneke – Enugu

Hon. Justice Chikere Annie Ononeje-Madu – Imo

South-South

Hon. Justice Augustine Dominic Odokwo -Akwa Ibom

Hon. Justice Abua Elias Ojie  – Cross River

Hon. Justice Victor Oziegbe Aghabue Oviawe – Edo

South-West

Hon. Justice Ogunjobi O. Olukayode – Lagos

Hon. Justice James Kolawole Omotosho – Ogun

Hon. Justice Mojeed Oladimeji Ishola – Oyo

Hon. Justice Olukayode Adegbola Adeniyi – Oyo

The document signed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the Federal Judicial Service Commission, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola on August 2, 2024, said, “Members of the National Judicial Council are hereby invited in line with Paragraph 21(a)) of Part I to the Third Schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), to recommend to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the appointment of twenty-two (22) candidates listed in the priority list as Justices of the Court of Appeal.”

SAHARA REPORTERS