President Tinubu approves new legislation that raises the retirement age of Nigerian judges. The Nigerian Senate enacted legislation in May to raise the retirement age of High Court judges to match that of the Supreme Court.
President Bola Tinubu has signed a constitutional amendment bill that would standardize the retirement age for judges across all courts. Abiodun Oladunjoye, Director of Information at the State House, said in a statement on Thursday that the president signed the measure given by the outgoing 9th National Assembly.
“In exercising the powers conferred on him by the 1999 Constitution as amended, President Bola Tinubu signed a new amendment to the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s Constitution on Thursday at the State House.” “President Tinubu signed the bill into law.”
President Tinubu signed the ‘Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) (No.37), 2023′ presented by the outgoing 9th National Assembly into law. With the signing of the constitutional amendment Bill, judicial officers’ retirement age and pension rights have been effectively brought into uniformity, as have other related matters.”
Previously, state and federal high court justices were required to retire at the age of 65. Judges of the National Industrial Court, Sharia and customary courts of appeal must also retire at the age of 65. Judges of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, on the other hand, can serve until the age of 70.
President Tinubu’s bill, which was signed into law on Thursday, raised the retirement age of the Supreme Court judges. The lower court judges range in age from 65 to 70. This brings the retirement of lower court judges on par with that of the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court judges.
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These courts are referred to as superior courts of record under the Nigerian constitution, a prestigious name that distinguishes them from magistrate courts and other lesser courts. Unlike the judges of the superior courts of record, the presiding officers of the lesser courts are not subject to direct disciplinary monitoring by the National Judicial Council (NJC).
The President “pledged his administration’s dedication to strengthening the judiciary, ensuring the rule of law, and empowering judicial officers to execute their responsibilities effectively,” according to a State House statement issued Thursday.
The United States Senate The measure was enacted by the Senate on May 3, about four weeks before then-President Muhammadu Buhari’s term ended. Following the bill’s concurrent approval, the National Assembly authorized its Clerk to forward Constitution Alteration Bill 20, which approves the uniform retirement age for judicial officers in Nigeria, to the president for assent.
At plenary on Tuesday, a resolution titled “Passage of Constitution (Fifth) Alteration Bill No. 20 (Uniform Retirement Age for Judicial Officers), 2023” was adopted. The measure proposed raising the retirement age of High Court judges from 65 to 70 years old.
The proposal was supported by Ovie Omo-Agege, Chairman of the Senate Ad hoc Committee on Constitution Review in accordance with the Authentication Act.
“Recall that on Tuesday, April 4, the Clerk of the National Assembly was directed to transmit Constitution Alteration Bill No. 47 (Establishment of State Security Council) to Mr President for his assent after it met the requirement of Section 9(2) of the Constitution.”
“Recall that the Sokoto State House of Assembly was one of the State Houses of Assembly that had yet to submit its resolution.” Other state legislatures include Gombe, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kwara, Plateau, Sokoto, and Taraba.
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“Aware that the Sokoto State House of Assembly has forwarded its resolution; and convinced that the Constitution (Fifth Alteration) Bill No. 20 (Uniform Retirement Age for Judicial Officers) has met with the approval of the Sokoto State House of Assembly.”
“The provisions of Section 9(2) of the Constitution have been met for passage,” Mr Omo-Agege stated.
“This is a key component of the Ninth Senate’s legislative agenda to reform the judiciary.” “Having a uniform retirement age for the Judiciary will remove the backlog of cases and ensure the speedy dispensation of justice,” he stated.
Senate President Ahmad Lawan expressed his happiness at the news. “This is a very important constitutional amendment, and we are pleased that it will be part of our legacy as the 9th National Assembly,” he said.
