The 29-member stakeholders Judicial Reform Committee raised by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Dahiru Musdapher on October 14, has submitted its report.
But the content of the former CJN, Justice Muhammad Lawal Uwais committee report, which was submitted to Justice Musdapher yesterday in Abuja, was not disclosed.
The committee, which comprises former CJNs, former Presidents of the Court of Appeal, retired justices of the Supreme Court, retired and serving Judges of the high court as well as senior members of the Bar, was raised to look into the crises rocking the judiciary and recommend the way forward.
Justice Musdapher had at the September 19 Special Court Session to commemorate this year’s legal year promised to reform the judiciary.
Part of the reform is the restructuring and repositioning of the NJC, Federal Judicial Service Commission and the National Judicial Institute (NJI).
Members of the committee include former CJNs S.M.A. Belgore, Idris L. Kutigi and A.I. Katsina-Alu, Mamman Nasir (former PCA), A.G. Karibi-Whyte, Mustapha Akanbi, Umaru Abdullahi (former PCA), Kayode Eso (rtd. JSC), Umaru A. Kalgo (rtd. JSC), Rose N. Ukeje (former CJ, Federal High Court).
Others are Justice R.P.I. Bozimo, (Former Chief Judge, Delta State), Justice Lawal Hassan Gummi (Chief Judge, FCT), Joseph Daudu, SAN (NBA President), Chief Richard O.Akinjide SAN (former A-GF), Alhaji Abdullahi Ibrahim, SAN (former A-GF), Dr. A.G.F. Abdulrazak (SAN) and Anthony O. Mogboh, SAN.
There are also former NBA Presidents; T.J.O. Okpoko, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), O.C.J. Okocha (SAN) Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), Oluwarotimi O. Akeredolu (SAN) and Prince Lanke Odogiyan.
Other members are: Hajiya Hairat Balogun, Prof. Epiphany Azinge, SAN, (Director-General, Nigeria Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS), Dr. Mamman Tahir (Director-General, Nigerian Law School) and Mr. A.B. Mahmud, (SAN).
All the members of the committee have signed the recommendations, except Agbakoba, Akeredolu and Daudu. No reasons were given by Justice Uwais yesterday for this.
The former CJN said: “The committee is confident that the acceptance and implementation of the recommendations it has made will significantly restore the Judiciary to its lost glory and pride of place”.
He noted that some of the recommendations will require constitutional and legislative amendments while others can be implemented administratively.
Justice Musdapher thanked the committee “for taking the assignment with great seriousness and due diligence, despite their daunting job profile and other commitments.”
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Uwais committee confident report ‘ll restore judiciary