RismadarVoice Reporters
January 15, 2026
The National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended the Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, Enugu Division, Justice Joseph Oyewole, for appointment as a Justice of the Supreme Court.
The recommendation was made at the Council’s 110th meeting held on January 13, 2026, under the chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the NJC said Justice Oyewole was among 36 candidates recommended for various judicial appointments nationwide.
The Council also approved 27 candidates for appointment as judges of High Courts in Borno, Niger, Benue, Taraba, Plateau, Delta and Ekiti states after what it described as a rigorous screening process involving public complaints, interviews and strict compliance with the 2023 Revised NJC Guidelines and Procedural Rules.
The Council further recommended six Kadis for appointment to the Sharia Courts of Appeal in Niger, Taraba and Katsina states, as well as two judges for the Customary Court of Appeal in Delta State.
Beyond appointments, the NJC extended the tenure of the Acting Chief Judge of Imo State, Justice I.O. Agugua, by three months and urged the Imo State Governor to immediately commence the process of constituting the State Judicial Service Commission to enable the appointment of a substantive Chief Judge.
The Council stressed that delay in appointing a substantive Chief Judge could undermine judicial stability and effective administration of justice in the state.
In one of its most closely watched decisions, the NJC cleared the Chief Judge of Osun State, Justice Oyebola Ojo, of allegations of financial recklessness, diversion of funds and judicial misconduct.
The Council said it adopted in full the report of a three-member Investigation Committee which found that none of the allegations amounted to misconduct or a breach of the Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers.
The petitions against Justice Ojo, filed by labour unions, judicial staff, the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly and other individuals, included claims of unlawful suspension of staff, selective promotions, stoppage of training programmes and alleged diversion of funds.
The committee ruled that the allegations were either unproven, outside the Chief Judge’s statutory responsibilities or incompetent, and recommended that all petitions be dismissed.
Similarly, the NJC dismissed a petition against a Delta State High Court judge, Justice Gentu Timi, following the withdrawal of the complaint after the resolution of a related chieftaincy dispute by the state government.
The Council also reversed the one-year suspension without pay earlier imposed on Justice Jane Inyang of the Court of Appeal, Uyo Division, citing procedural defects, including that the petition was filed outside the stipulated timeframe and that the decision complained of was already on appeal.
Out of 39 petitions reviewed by its Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committees, the NJC dismissed 26 for lack of merit, ordered further investigation into seven and cautioned two judicial officers, including one found to have delivered judgment outside the constitutionally prescribed 90-day period.
The Council also approved the voluntary retirement of the Acting Grand Kadi of the Plateau State Sharia Court of Appeal, Umar Ibrahim Abdullahi, and Justice Obientobara Owupele Daniel-Kalio of the Court of Appeal, Asaba Division, while announcing the deaths of two serving judicial officers and extending condolences to their families and the Nigerian judiciary.
