The National Judicial Council has put forward the Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, Enugu Division, Justice Joseph Oyewole, for elevation to the Supreme Court, along with 35 other nominees for different judicial positions across the country.
The decisions were reached during the Council’s 110th meeting held on January 13, 2026, under the leadership of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the NJC disclosed that it approved 27 nominees for appointment as High Court Judges in seven states, namely Borno, Niger, Benue, Taraba, Plateau, Delta and Ekiti, after a comprehensive screening exercise that included public petitions, interviews and strict adherence to the 2023 Revised NJC Guidelines and Procedural Rules.
The Council also endorsed the appointment of six Kadis to the Sharia Courts of Appeal in Niger, Taraba and Katsina states, as well as two Judges to the Customary Court of Appeal in Delta State.
“These recommendations followed a rigorous screening process, including the consideration of public complaints and interviews conducted by a seven-member Interview Committee, in line with the 2023 Revised NJC Guidelines and Procedural Rules for the Appointment of Judicial Officers,” the statement read.
In addition to appointments, the NJC extended the tenure of the Acting Chief Judge of Imo State, Justice I.O. Agugua, for another three months and advised the Imo State Governor to immediately begin the process of constituting the State Judicial Service Commission to facilitate the appointment of a substantive Chief Judge.
The Council emphasised that the timely appointment of a substantive Chief Judge was essential for maintaining judicial stability, independence and effective justice delivery in the state.
Among its major resolutions, the NJC exonerated the Chief Judge of Osun State, Hon. Justice Oyebola Ojo, from allegations relating to financial impropriety, fund diversion and judicial misconduct.
The Council said it fully adopted the findings of a three-member Investigation Committee set up to examine several petitions submitted against the Osun State Chief Judge.
The petitions were lodged by the Chairman of the Osun State chapter of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, Eludire Kunle; a staff member of the Osun Customary Court of Appeal and three others; the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adewale Egbediran; Temitope Fasina; and a joint petition by the Osun State Attorney-General, Hon. Jimi Bada, alongside four individuals presented as members of the State Judicial Service Commission.
The complainants accused the Chief Judge of unilaterally suspending judiciary staff, engaging in selective promotions, halting training programmes, disobeying court orders and mismanaging funds, including alleged diversion of ₦7.4 million earmarked for judges’ and magistrates’ retreat, ₦5 million for robe allowances and revenue from e-affidavits.
The Council further determined that although the remaining petitioners had the legal standing to submit their complaints, the suspension of judiciary staff followed due process and did not constitute misconduct.
The committee also concluded that issues relating to staff promotion and training were within the statutory mandate of the State Judicial Service Commission and found no evidence that Justice Ojo diverted or personally benefited from any of the funds mentioned.
“The Committee sat on several occasions. All parties were represented by counsel and called witnesses in support of their respective cases.
“The Committee concluded that none of the allegations amounted to judicial misconduct or a breach of the Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers. Accordingly, it recommended that all the petitions be dismissed—a recommendation the Council accepted in full,” the NJC stated.
In a related decision, the Council struck out a petition against a Judge of the Delta State High Court, Justice Gentu Timi, concerning a chieftaincy matter in Idumuje-Ugboko, after the petitioner, Prince Mbanefo Nwoko, withdrew the complaint following the resolution of the dispute by the Delta State Government.
The NJC also lifted the one-year suspension without pay previously imposed on Justice Jane Inyang of the Court of Appeal, Uyo Division, explaining that the petition was filed outside the six-month time limit prescribed by policy and that the judgment in question was already under appeal at the time.
Out of 39 petitions considered by the Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committees, the Council dismissed 26 for lack of merit, directed that seven be investigated further and issued warnings to two judicial officers, including one who delivered a judgment beyond the constitutionally required 90-day period.
The Council additionally constituted a committee to review a request submitted by nine dismissed judges of the Imo State Judiciary, while declining to consider a new petition filed against the Acting Chief Judge of the state.
It also approved the voluntary retirement of Umar Ibrahim Abdullahi, Acting Grand Kadi of the Plateau State Sharia Court of Appeal, and Hon. Justice Obientobara Owupele Daniel-Kalio of the Court of Appeal, Asaba Division, noting with regret that Abdullahi died shortly after submitting his retirement notice.
The NJC further announced the passing of Justice Oluwayemisi Adelaja of the FCT High Court and Justice U.I. Abdullahi of the Plateau State Sharia Court of Appeal, and expressed its condolences to their families and the Nigerian judiciary.
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