The Nigerian Bar Association on Friday announced plans to appoint nine additional judges to the Federal High Court apart from the 15 earlier approved as it published the list of the 60 lawyers who indicated interest.

The NBA also called on members of the Bar and the public to submit petitions, objections, and or comments generally on the suitability for appointment of any of the shortlisted candidates.

The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, said, “In line with the NJC Guidelines and Procedural Rules for Appointment of Judicial Officers of Superior Courts, the Chief Judge, therefore invites your lordships, the Hon. Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice and the President Nigerian Bar Association to kindly nominate suitably qualified persons from the aforementioned states for appointment to the Federal High Court Bench.”

However, in a notice made available to newsmen, the NBA said it had expressions of interest from 60 members and thereby published the list of these candidates.

According to the NBA, on January 14, 2023, pursuant to a request for nominations received from the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, the Nigerian Bar Association published a notice calling for expressions of interest from suitably qualified legal practitioners from Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Gombe, Kebbi, Ogun and Oyo states, for appointment as judges of the Federal High Court.

“The NBA has received expressions of interest from 60 members, and we hereby publish the list of these candidates. Members of the Bar and the public are invited to submit petitions, objections and/or comment generally on the suitability for appointment of any of the shortlisted candidates.

“The comments, petitions or objections should be forwarded to the President. All communications in this regard must be sent in by the close of work on Friday, February 10, 2023,” the NBA added.