Former First Lady of Rivers State, Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike, is on the list of priority nominees sent to the Federal Judicial Council Commission for elevation to the Court of Appeal.
Wife of the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, former Governor Nyesom Wike, Eberechi was nominated from the Rivers Judicial Council.
The President of the Court of Appeal, Hon. Justice M.B Dongban-Mensem formally requested the appointment of 22 new Justices to the Court of Appeal.
This follows the creation of vacancies by the elevation and retirement of some Justices of the Court of Appeal.
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.
A total 89 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.
Subsequently, the Federal Judicial Service Commission 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.
The nominees on the priority list 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 has Hon. Justice Ishaq Mohammed Sani; Kaduna; Hon Justice Zainab Bage Abubakar, Kebbi; Hon. Justice Abdulazeez M. Anka, Zamfara.
South-East has Hon. Justice Nnamdi Okwy Dimgba, 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 has Hon. Justice Ntong Festus Ntong -Akwa Ibom, Hon. Justice Nehizena Idemudia Afolabi –Edo, Hon. Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike – Rivers.
South-West has Hon. Justice Lateef Babajide Lawal-Akapo – Lagos, Hon. Justice Abiodun Azeem Akinyemi – Ogun, Hon. Justice Oyewumi Oyejoju Oyebiola – Oyo, Hon. Justice Bayo Ademola Taiwo – 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.”
