There is an unfolding scheme to prolong the tenure of Justices in Nigeria’s Supreme Court, seeking to extend the current age limit of 70 years to 75 years.
According to a report, which cited sources, the motive behind this plot is to retain the Supreme Court Justices until after the upcoming political dispensation. The agenda is crafted to avert a crisis similar to the one witnessed during the 2023 presidential election dispute, where the Supreme Court struggled to form a quorum to address election petitions.
Additionally, the report stated that the plot aims to reward certain Justices, particularly those who presided over the 2023 presidential election petition at the Court of Appeal and have since been elevated to the Supreme Court.
If successfully executed, this plan may play a role in the political landscape of the 2027 elections, as these judges would remain in the Supreme Court to handle potential litigation.
According to the report, the goal is to ensure that the Justices of the apex court, including the newly appointed ones, remain in office for the entirety of the 2027 election cycle.
Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Olukayode Ariwoola is expected to administer the oath of office to eleven new Supreme Court Justices, recently cleared by the Senate.
In December of 2023, President Bola Tinubu urged the Senate to confirm 11 judges from the Court of Appeal as Supreme Court Justices, following the National Judicial Council’s recommendation.
The Supreme Court, having been reduced to just 10 Justices due to the passing of Justice Centus Nweze and the retirements of Justices Amina Augie and Dattijo Muhammad, will be replenished with the addition of these 11 confirmed Justices. This will bring the total number to 21 Justices.
The appointed Justices include Jummai Hannatu Sankey, Chidiebere Nwaoma Uwa, Chioma Egondu Nwosu-Iheme, Haruna Simon Tsammani, Moore Aseimo A. Adumein, Obande Festus Ogbuinya, Stephen Jonah Adah, Habeeb Adewale O. Abiru, Jamilu Yammama Tukur, Abubakar Sadiq Umar, and Mohammed Baba Idris.
Justice Ariwoola, the current CJN, is slated for retirement on August 22nd next year, paving the way for Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun to assume the leadership of the apex court. Nevertheless, some influential figures in the presidency are inclined towards extending Justice Ariwoola’s term as CJN, prompting the move to extend the retirement age of Justices to 75 years, potentially allowing the current CJN to remain in office beyond 2027.
