NBA shortlists 12 lawyers for appointment to Court of Appeal Bench

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has submitted the names of 12 lawyers shortlisted to the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, as nominees for appointment into the Court of Appeal Bench.

According to General Secretary of NBA, Isiaka Abiola Olagunju , the screening exercise ran for two days, sequel to a request made by the President of the Court of Appeal to the President of the NBA, Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN) for nomination of “suitably qualified candidates for consideration for appointment into the Court of Appeal Bench.”

The list of NBA nominees comprised of one Senior Advocate of Nigeria, a former judge of the Court of Appeal, Gambia and ten other lawyers.

The nominees are: Nnamdi Ibegbu, SAN (Anambra); former Judge of Court of Appeal of Gambia, Adegoke Oluremi (Ondo); Enewa Rita Ifeyinwa (Delta); Alma Eluwa (Imo); Oladipo Tolani (Kwara); Dr. Mohammed Alkali (Borno); Prof. Nsogurua J. Udombana (Akwa Ibom); Anwalu Mu’allimu (Kano); Prof. Augustine R. Agom (Benue); Gbadamosi Kazeem (Oyo); Dr. Yemi Oke (Ogun), and Dr. Ibrahim Abdullahi (Sokoto).

The 12 nominees were called to the Nigerian Bar between 1979 and 2000. A total of 187 candidates were said to have submitted expression of interest’s forms to the NBA.

A panel of eminent lawyers, including the NBA president scrutinized the applications. Other notable members of the panel are Chief T.J.O Okpoko (SAN), Mallam Yusuf Ali (SAN), Chief Charles Edosowan (SAN), Dr. Garba Tetengi (SAN, MNI), Dr. Balkisu Saidu of the office of the Vice President of Nigeria and Isiaka Olagunju.

The names of the nominated candidates have since been forwarded to the President of the Court of Appeal.