The Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) has released the names of 48 judges nominated for possible appointment to the Court of Appeal bench, from which only 12 will eventually be selected.

The list was published in a public notice titled “Appointment of 12 Justices to the Court of Appeal Bench: Call for Comments” in the Saturday edition of ThisDay newspaper.

The notice, signed by the Secretary of the FJSC, invited members of the public to submit comments on the nominees as part of efforts to promote transparency and accountability in the judicial appointment process.

Where Has That ₦1.5 Trillion Gone?” – El-Rufai Accuses Tinubu Of Impeachable Offense

According to the commission, the list of 48 nominees was forwarded to it by the Court of Appeal, which initiated the appointment exercise.

At the conclusion of its assessment, the FJSC is expected to shortlist 24 candidates and forward their names to the National Judicial Council (NJC).

The NJC will then conduct its own screening and interview process before selecting the final 12 candidates to be recommended to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointment to the Court of Appeal.

The successful nominees will fill vacant slots for 12 states on the Court of Appeal bench. The affected states are Benue, Plateau, Gombe, Taraba, Katsina, Kebbi, Ebonyi, Bayelsa, Cross River, Ekiti, Ogun and Ondo.

Each state has four nominees on the initial long list, drawn from judges currently serving in the State High Courts, Federal High Court, Customary Courts of Appeal, and the National Industrial Court.

 

Notable Nominees

 

Among the nominees is Justice James Kolawole Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, who in November last year sentenced the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, to life imprisonment for terrorism-related offences.

 

Also listed is Justice Emeka Nwite, another Federal High Court judge in Abuja, who is currently handling several high-profile cases, including the ongoing money laundering trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello. If appointed to the Court of Appeal, any cases he is unable to conclude would have to start afresh.

 

Another notable nominee is Justice Safiya Badamasi Umar, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) currently serving as a judge of the Katsina State High Court. Senior Advocates rarely apply for judicial appointments.

 

Public Invited To Submit Complaints

 

The FJSC said the publication of the names was intended to solicit public input on the integrity, reputation and suitability of the nominees for judicial appointment.

 

Members of the public were urged to submit written comments strictly on issues relating to integrity, reputation and suitability.

 

“All complaints or comments must be submitted in writing to the office of the Secretary of the Federal Judicial Service Commission within fourteen days from the date of publication,” the notice stated.

 

Submissions may be delivered to the FJSC Secretariat at the Supreme Court Complex, Three Arms Zone, Abuja, or sent via email to thefjscsecretariat@gmail.com.

 

The commission stressed that all submissions must be accompanied by a sworn affidavit deposed to before a superior court of record in Nigeria or a Notary Public, warning that false or unsubstantiated allegations could attract consequences.

 

The practice of publishing nominees’ names for public scrutiny was introduced by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, who chairs both the FJSC and the NJC. The initiative was announced at the NJC’s 108th meeting in April 2025, as part of judicial reforms aimed at strengthening transparency.

 

Full List of Nominees

 

Benue State:

Ibrahim Mohammed; Augustine Ityonyiman; Jennifer Ijohor; Dennis Igyuse.

 

Plateau State:

Jacob Azi Atsen; Veronica Dadom; Stephen Dalyop Pam; Nankwat Dawat Shaseet.

 

Gombe State:

Abdulhameed Mohammed Yakubu; Suleiman Yahaya Abubakar; Mohammed Auwal Haruna; Daurabo Suleiman Sikkam.

 

Taraba State:

Nuhu Adi; Rosemary Kanyip; Danladi Yakubu; Dauda Njane Buba.

 

Katsina State:

Sanusi Kado; Safiya Badamasi Umar (SAN); Adam Salihu Yarima; Ibrahim Abubakar Maude.

 

Kebbi State:

Sabiu Bala Shuaibu; Maryam Aliyu Hassan; Abubakar Saddiq Bello; Shamsudeen Ja’afar.

 

Ebonyi State:

Vincent Nwanchor; Thelma Adanna Achom; Esther Awo Ota; Emeka Nwite.

 

Bayelsa State:

Raphael Ajuwa; Ebiyerin Goodness Omukoro; Simon Warikiyel Amaduobogha; Patience Zoufa.

 

Cross River State:

Abua Elias Ojie; Emmanuel Ubua; Ukpai Abba; Obo Awusa Oto.

 

Ekiti State:

Monisola Oluwatoyin Abodunde; Jubril Aladejana; Lucas Ogundana; Olusegun Ogunyemi.

 

Ogun State:

James Kolawole Omotosho; Olugboyega Ogunfowora; Yetunde Pinheiro; Olufunke Sule-Amzat.

Ondo State:

Oluyemi Akintan-Osadebay; Orimisan Okorisa; Akinfemi Owoyemi; Ademola Enikuomehin.