The Senate and the House of Representatives are working to terminate some categories of litigation at the lower courts instead of allowing them to progress to the Supreme Court. This will be done in upcoming amendments to both the Electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution.
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, who disclosed this on Thursday, explained that it would allow the apex court to preoccupy itself with the cases that had substance and avoid distractions.
“We will work with the House of Representatives on this. We have to find a way to stop some cases from going to the Supreme Court.
“Certain interlocutory injunctions will have to stop; certain matters must stop at the lower courts,” Akpabio added.
Akpabio spoke as the Senate confirmed the nomination of all 11 justices appointed as justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
President Bola Tinubu submitted the names of the justices to the Senate on Wednesday.
The approval came shortly after senators debated the report of the Committee on Judiciary and Human Rights, which screened the justices on Wednesday.
The committee is chaired by Sen. Mohammed Monguno.
The justices confirmed on Thursday were 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.
Akpabio prayed for the justices to have the “wisdom, enablement, and strength of character” to dispense justice at the apex court.
“I also thank Mr President for having every geopolitical zone represented at the court. We hope justice will continue to be dispensed at that level, he said.
Senators Barau Jibrin, Ahmad Lawan, Adams Oshiomhole, and Simon Lalong, while contributing to the debate on the screening report, commended the justices, describing their choices as worthy.
Also speaking, Sen. Victor Umeh observed that every zone of the country, except one, had three justices, a distribution he said was fair.
Umeh stated, “I am very happy with this exercise. I commend the NJC for their choices by sieving through a list of many judges to pick the 11 who are credible and noble.
“I refer us to page nine of this report. No zone in Nigeria doesn’t have at least three justices in the Supreme Court. Only one zone has four justices. These justices are well-known, having written many landmark judgements.
“There are no petitions written against them. We are in for a good deal. Federal character has equally been observed.”
On his part, Sen. Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa-West) called on the appointing authorities to quicken the process of filling vacancies at the Supreme Court whenever they occurred.