An Abuja-based legal practitioner, Mr Deji Ajare, has expressed support for President Bola Tinubu’s bill seeking to amend the Court of Appeal Act to increase the number of justices from 70 to 110.
Ajare said the proposed amendment, currently before the National Assembly, was a timely reform aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s appellate justice system and improving access to justice.
He noted that expanding the number of justices would significantly fast-track the dispensation of justice by reducing the backlog of cases at the Court of Appeal.
“The reality is that the appellate courts are overstretched. Increasing the number of justices will help decongest the docket and ensure that litigants get timely resolution of their cases,” he said.
Ajare made the remarks during a live interview on News Central, where he also called for increased funding for the judiciary to enable effective implementation of the proposed reforms.
He stressed that beyond increasing personnel, adequate financial support was necessary to improve infrastructure, welfare, and operational efficiency within the justice sector.
He also called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) to emphasise pure merit in the appointment and elevation of judges, while ensuring that the transfer of judges is properly planned to avoid cases having to start de novo.
The legal practitioner urged lawmakers to give speedy consideration to the bill in the interest of strengthening the rule of law and public confidence in the judicial system.
