News
Reps want more FCT High Court Judges
The House of Representatives at the plenary on Thursday passed through second reading a Bill seeking to amend the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja Act to provide for an increase in the number of Judges in the FCT High Courts.
The proposed legislation was sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, Hon. Babajimi Benson, Hon. Akin Rotimi, Jr and five others.
Leading the debate on its general principles, one of the co-sponsors Hon. Jonathan Gbefwi stated that the Bill seeks to address a fundamental aspect of the judiciary’s ability to deliver timely justice, which is an increase of the number of judges in the High Court of the FCT, Abuja, from the current maximum of seventy to a minimum of one hundred Judges.
He noted that the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory stands as a crucial pillar in Nigeria’s judicial framework, serving not only the residents of Abuja but also, in many respects, playing a pivotal role in cases of national importance.
He recalled that at the beginning of the 2022/2023 legal year, the FCT High Court carried forward 12,513 pending cases from the previous year, underscoring a substantial backlog and over the same period, the court assigned an additional 5,952 new cases, bringing the workload to a level that greatly strains available judicial resources.
He said that as it currently stands, the High Court of the FCT is limited in the number of judges it can engage, and this inadequacy significantly affects the rising volume and complexity of cases brought before it.
He expressed optimism that by increasing the number of Judges, this amendment is anticipated to reduce delays in case resolution, ensuring more efficient handling of cases, and consequently, enhancing public confidence in the judiciary.
Gbefwi said, “I stand before you today to lead the debate on the general principles of a Bill for an Act to Amend the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja (Number of Judges) Act, Cap H6, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to Provide for Increase in the Number of Judges in the High Court of the Federal
Capital Territory, Abuja; and for Other Related Matters. The Bill which was read the first time on Tuesday, 23rd July, 2024, seeks to address a fundamental aspect of our judiciary’s ability to deliver timely justice, by seeking to increase the number of judges in the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja stands as a crucial pillar in Nigeria’s judicial framework, serving not only the residents of Abuja but also, in many respects, playing a pivotal role in cases of national importance. However, as it currently stands, the High Court of the FCT is limited in the number of judges it can engage. This inadequacy significantly affects the rising volume and complexity of cases brought before it. The court’s current judge complement, though dedicated, is insufficient to keep up with these caseloads. The considerable backlog, reflects the limitations faced by the court in addressing the high volume of cases, which is only anticipated to increase with Abuja’s population growth and economic development.
“Given the rapid expansion of Abuja’s population, coupled with an
increasing caseload spanning various legal domains, the need for additional judges has become pressing. This amendment Bill is therefore introduced to address these systemic challenges by increasing the statutory number of judges for the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory. This Bill proposes an amendment to Section 1 of the extant Act to increase the number of Judges in the FCT High Court from the current maximum of seventy Judges (arising from the 2016 Amendment of the Act) to a minimum of one hundred Judges thus allowing for greater judicial capacity to address the current and future needs of the court. Mr. Speaker, Honorable Colleagues, this amendment is crucial; it is no doubt a necessary intervention to uphold the principles of timely justice, judicial efficiency, and the rule of law in Nigeria. I urge all members to lend their support to this Bill, as it represents a concrete step towards strengthening our judiciary and ensuring that justice remains accessible and expeditious for all Nigerians.”
The Bill was thereafter put to a voice vote by the Speaker, Rt Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, it was passed for second reading and referred to the Committee on FCT Judiciary and constitution review for further legislative action.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai has launched a scathing attack on President Bola Tinubu’s administration, describing it as the “worst, most corrupt, and most intolerant” federal government since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999.
Speaking to journalists in Katsina on Monday night, el-Rufai accused the government of widespread dishonesty and failure to address the country’s worsening insecurity.
“This is the worst federal government in Nigerian history, and all the indices have shown it,” he said.
He charged the Tinubu administration with spreading propaganda, particularly on the security situation in the country.
“They lied that security has improved in Nigeria. They read out numbers of bandits killed except the ones we know are the leading bandits… Dogo Gide is still around, Mallam Abba… Bello Turji is still around,” he claimed.
Issues of insecurity in northern Nigeria
El-Rufai questioned how many local government areas remain under bandit control in states like Katsina, Zamfara, and parts of Sokoto, accusing the federal government of ignoring the root causes of insecurity.
He also hinted at a political realignment ahead of the 2027 elections, predicting that the Social Democratic Party (SDP) would unseat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
El-Rufai was in Katsina to offer condolences to Governor Dikko Radda over his mother’s passing.
Days earlier, he had joined former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and other political figures on a unity visit to former President Muhammadu Buhari in Kaduna.
He later described the visit as a symbol of “unity and brotherhood.”
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Arsenal on Wednesday hammered Real Madrid and finally hit the semis on 5-1 aggregate.
Bukayo Saka after losing a penalty in the the first half at the 13th minute but made up at the 65th minute.
Vinicius Jnr equalised within two minutes as Gabriel Martinelli nailed it for Arsemal at extra time.
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