Senate on Wednesday passed for second reading two bills aimed at increasing the number of judges in Nigeria’s superior courts as part of efforts to reduce case backlogs and improve the delivery of justice across the country.
Gatekeepers News reports that the proposed legislation seeks to raise the number of judges of the Federal High Court from 70 to 90 and increase the number of Justices of the Court of Appeal from 70 to 110.
Leading the debate during plenary, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, who sponsored the bills, said the measures were designed to strengthen the judiciary’s capacity to handle the growing volume of cases before the courts.
According to him, no democratic system can function effectively where citizens and institutions are unable to obtain timely judicial resolution of disputes.
He stressed that the justice sector must be adequately equipped with the human and material resources required to discharge its constitutional responsibilities.
Speaking on the proposed amendment to the Court of Appeal Act 2004, Bamidele noted that the Court of Appeal occupies a critical position within the judicial hierarchy as the intermediary appellate court between trial courts and the Supreme Court, as provided under Section 237 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
He said the bill seeks to increase the number of Justices of the Court of Appeal from 70 to 110, ensure equitable representation of all states and the Federal Capital Territory in the court’s composition, clarify issues relating to seniority and ranking among justices, strengthen administrative functions, and improve the efficiency of appellate adjudication.
Bamidele also argued that increasing the number of Federal High Court judges was necessary to significantly reduce the backlog of pending cases and improve access to justice through faster hearings and judgments.
He added that the move would enhance the prosecution of corruption and financial crime cases, boost investor confidence through quicker resolution of commercial disputes, and strengthen adjudication in specialised sectors such as banking, telecommunications, maritime affairs, aviation and intellectual property.
“No democracy can thrive where citizens and institutions are unable to obtain prompt judicial determination of disputes,” Bamidele said, adding that the judiciary must be provided with adequate resources to perform its constitutional duties effectively.
The bills enjoyed broad support during debate, with no senator opposing their passage for second reading.
Following their consideration, the Senate referred the consolidated bills to the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters for further legislative work.
The committee is expected to submit its report to the Senate within four weeks.
