By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

The Federal Judicial Service Commission, FJSC, has shortlisted 22 Justices of the Court of Appeal for elevation to the Supreme Court bench.

On the list forwarded to the National Judicial Council, NJC, was Justice Haruna Tsammani, who led the panel that affirmed the election of President Bola Tinubu.

Specifically, whereas six Justices were nominated from the North-Central region, the South-West and South-South regions got two nominees each.

Similarly, while six Justices were okayed from the South-East, the North-East got two nominees in the list that was forwarded to the NJC yesterday.

The development came barely four days after President Tinubu pleaded for qualified, experienced and diligent private legal practitioners to be appointed to both the Appeal Court and the Supreme Court bench.

Tinubu had in an address presented at the opening session of the 2023 All Nigerian Judges Conference of the Superior Courts, which held last Monday, maintained that selecting qualified lawyers to fill the vacant seats on the bench of the two superior courts would further strengthen the nation’s judiciary.

“I seize this opportunity to make one sentence on the appointment of private legal practitioners into our appellate courts.

“Considering the constitutional provisions in practice in other jurisdictions, I am of the strong view that in order to further strengthen our appleate court, qualified, experienced and diligent private legal practioners should be considered for apointment to both the Appeal and Supreme Court, as the nation will benefit from this,” President Tinubu had argued.