The Chief Judge, Federal High Court (FHC), Justice John Tsoho, has invited the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, to nominate suitably qualified persons for appointment as judges of the court.
Justice Tsoho also invited the President, Nigerian Bar Association, Mr Yakubu Maikyau, for the nomination in line with the National Judicial Council (NJC)’s Guidelines and Procedural Rules for Appointment of Judicial Officers of Superior Courts.
He said candidates for the appointment should be from the five states, which include Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Gombe, Ogun and Oyo.
The FHC’s Assistant Director of Information, Dr Catherine Oby-Christopher, made this known on Friday in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja.
The statement, titled: “Appointment of Further Nine Judges for the Federal High Court Bench,”reads: “The Federal High Court of Nigeria wishes to notify all stakeholders and the general public of its further appointment of Nine (9) Judges.”
The CJ said that the appointment of the nine judges was separate from the pending exercise for the appointment of the fifteen judges earlier approved by the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman, NJC, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.
He said in exercise of his constitutional powers and consequent upon the approval by Justice Ariwoola, “the exercise for the consideration of candidates for possible appointment to the Bench of the Federal High Court with regards to some states will commence soon.
“The states include: Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Gombe, Ogun and Oyo.
“In line with the NJC Guidelines and Procedural Rules for Appointment of Judicial Officers of Superior Courts, the Honourable Chief Judge, therefore invites Your Lordships, the Hon. Attorney General of the *Federation* and Minister of Justice and the President Nigerian Bar Association to kindly nominate suitably qualified persons from the aforementioned States for appointment to the Federal High Court Bench.
“All recommendations are to reach the Chambers of the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court on or before the 28 February, 2023.”(NAN)