Tinubu seeks increase in appeal court justices to 110

President Bola Tinubu has forwarded a bill to the Senate seeking to amend the Court of Appeal Act to increase the number of justices from 70 to 110 and introduce virtual hearings in appellate proceedings. Senate President Godswill Akpabio read the president’s letter at plenary on Tuesday. Tinubu, in the letter, said the proposed amendment […]

President Bola Tinubu has forwarded a bill to the Senate seeking to amend the Court of Appeal Act to increase the number of justices from 70 to 110 and introduce virtual hearings in appellate proceedings. Senate President Godswill Akpabio read the president’s letter at plenary on Tuesday.

Tinubu, in the letter, said the proposed amendment is aimed at strengthening the institutional capacity, efficiency and effectiveness of the Court of Appeal in line with constitutional provisions and current realities in the justice sector.

He said the bill would also clarify the judicial structure and seniority within the court, including the ranking of the president of the Court of Appeal and the determination of seniority among justices.

The president explained that the amendment seeks to modernise appellate court operations through the conduct of proceedings via electronic and audio-visual means.

It also provides for the establishment of an Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre (ADRC) within the Court of Appeal, allowing certain appellate matters to be referred for settlement outside the conventional court process.

According to him, the reforms are designed to enhance professional efficiency, reduce delays, and improve legal certainty in appellate practice.

Tinubu noted that the bill would update outdated terminology and definitions in the existing law, including formal recognition of virtual hearings and modern correctional nomenclature.

The president said the amendment was necessitated by the increasing workload at the Court of Appeal and would help reduce delays in the administration of justice, while strengthening access to justice and boosting public confidence in the judiciary.

In a related move, the president also transmitted a separate bill seeking to amend the Federal High Court Act to increase the number of judges from 70 to 90.

He further requested Senate confirmation of the appointment of Oyewole Joseph Kayode as a justice of the Supreme Court.