The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, has assured that the Supreme Court will soon have the constitutionally prescribed full complement of 21 Justices.
According to him, since the apex court was established in 1963, it has never had its full complement of Justices.
Already, 22 Justices had been recommended for an interview by the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) to the National Judicial Council, (NJC).
Out of the 22, only 11 will be considered for the top job.
The CJN, who spoke at a special session to mark the commencement of the 2023/2024 legal year and swearing-in of newly appointed Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), said the litigant public will heave a sigh of relief within a short time.
The CJN said, “Efforts were made by my predecessor to increase the number but that was unsuccessful before he left office. However, the cherry news is that as soon as I assumed office on the 27th day of June, 2022, I immediately got down to work on this urgent and immediate need in particular.
“Though we have not gotten them on board yet, I can convincingly assure the litigant public that within a very short while, the Supreme Court of Nigeria will, for the very first time in its history, get the Constitutionally-prescribed full complement of 21 Justices.
“That is one of the legacies I have been working assiduously to leave behind as it now seems that the Court has been somewhat ‘jinxed’ from meeting its Constitutional requirement since that piece of legislation was enacted several years ago.”
