A Federal High Court judge, James Omotosho has been listed alongside other judges by the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) as part of 48 judges nominated for appointment to the Court of Appeal bench.
According to a dependable source at FJCS, only 12 of the nominees will be picked at the end of the appointment exercise which would be finalised by the National Judicial Council (NJC).
Successful candidates are expected to fill in the vacant slots of 12 states on the Court of Appeal bench.
The states are Benue, Plateau, Gombe, Taraba, Katsina, Kebbi, Ebonyi, Bayelsa, Cross River, Ekiti, Ogun, and Ondo.
Each of the state has four nominees on the starting long list of 48 nominees, who are currently serving as judges of state High Courts, the Federal High Court, Customary Courts of Appeal and the National Industrial Court.
The list is expected to be pruned down to 12 that will be appointed.
The list of the nominees is contained in a public notice published by the FJSC.
The notice, signed by the FJSC secretary, invited members of the public to submit comments on the nominees to “enhance transparency and accountability in the appointment process”.
It said FJSC received the list of 48 nominees from the Court of Appeal, which initiated the appointment process.
At the end of FJSC’s part of the appointment process, the commission is expected to recommend 24 from the list of 48 nominees to the NJC.
The NJC this medium learnt will launch its own process, including interviewing the nominees to draw the final list of 12 candidates that will be recommended to President Bola Tinubu for appointment.
Justice Omotosho last year, sentenced Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB), to life imprisonment for terrorism. Kanu is currently serving his prison term in the correctional centre in Sokoto.
Also on the list is another FHC judge, Emeka Nwite, who is also handling some high-profile cases, including that of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello on money laundering charges.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) currently serving as a judge of the Katsina High Court, Safiya Umar, also made the list.
Other nominees from various states are:
Plateau State: Jacob Azi Atsen, Veronica Dadom, Stephen Dalyop Pam, and Nankwat Dawat Shaseet.
Gombe State: Abdulhameed Mohammed Yakubu, Suleiman Yahaya Abubakar, Mohammed Auwal Haruna, and Daurabo Suleiman Sikkam .
Taraba State: Nuhu Adi, Rosemary Kanyip, Danladi Yakubu, and Dauda Njane Buba.
Benue State: Ibrahim Mohammed, Augustine Ityonyiman, Jennifer Ijohor and Dennis Igyuse.
Kebbi State: Sabiu Bala Shuaibu, Maryam Aliyu Hassan, Abubakar Saddiq Bello, and Shamsudeen Ja’afar.
Ebonyi State: Vincent Nwanchor, Thelma Adanna Achom, Esther Awo Ota, and Emeka Nwite.
Katsina State: Sanusi Kado, Safiya Badamasi Umar, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria; Adam Salihu Yarima, and Ibrahim Abubakar Maude
Bayelsa State: Raphael Ajuwa, Ebiyerin Goodness Omukoro, Simon Warikiyel Amaduobogha, and Patience Zoufa
Cross River State: Abua Elias Ojie, Emmanuel Ubua, Ukpai Abba, and Obo Awusa Oto.
Ondo State: Oluyemi Oluyemi Akintan-Osadebay, Orimisan Okorisa, Akinfemi Owoyemi, and Ademola Enikuomehin.
Ekiti State: Monisola Oluwatoyin Abodunde, Jubril Aladejana, Lucas Ogundana and Olusegun Ogunyemi
Ogun State: James Kolawole Omotosho, Olugboyega Ogunfowora, Yetunde Pinheiro, and Olufunke Sule-Amzat.
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