In what will be the final legal battle over the outcome of the 2023 presidential election, the Supreme Court is expected to deliver judgement today, Thursday, October 26, in the appeals by Atiku Abubakar/the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi/Labour Party (LP) against the September 6 judgment of the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) which affirmed the victory of President Bola Tinubu.
As the general public anticipate the judgement of the apex court, DAILY REPORT NG brings you full profile of the seven-member panel of the court, led by Justice John Okoro.
FULL PROFILE OF THE JUDGES:
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- JUSTICE JOHN INYANG OKORO
Justice Okoro, who will head the panel that will deliver the judgement hails from Nung Ukim, Ikono Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom state.
He attended the Nigerian Law School, Lagos, and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1985.
The Justice was elevated to the Apex Court on November 15, 2013, and he is currently the fourth most senior justice of the court.
Justice Okoro has over the years served in different capacities and bodies, including; Member, Election Petition Tribunal, Kano, 1998, Member, Governorship and Legislative Houses Election Petition Tribunal, Ondo State, 2003, Member, Governorship and Legislative Houses Election Petition Tribunal No.2 Delta State, 2003.
- JUSTICE UWANI MUSA ABBA-AJI
Born on November 7, 1956, in Gashua, Yobe State, Justice Abba Aji is the highest-ranking female judge on the Supreme Court bench and the panel’s sole female member.
She obtained a Diploma in Law from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria in 1976 and subsequently, an L.L.B Hons from the same institution in 1980.
Justice Aji was called to the Bar in 1981 and commenced her career as State Counsel in 1982.
She was appointed Higher Court Judge of Yobe State Judiciary in December 1991 making her the first Lady Judge at Yobe State Judiciary, a position she held until July 2004.
Before her elevation to the Supreme Court on January 8, 2019, Justice Abba-Aji was the Presiding Justice, Court of Appeal Kaduna Division, a position she held for 4 years.
- JUSTICE IBRAHIM SAULAWA
Born on September 29, 1956 in the ancient city of Katsina. Katina State, Justice Saulawa attended both Primary and Secondary Schools in Katsina from 1965 to 1976.
In September 1977, he proceeded to the Bayero University Kano and graduated in June 1981 with a Bachelor of Law degree.
The same year, he proceeded to the Nigerian Law School Lagos and was called to the Nigerian Bar on July 2, 1982.
Justice Saulawa was elevated to the Bench of the Court of Appeal on June 10. 2006.
After couple of years in Nigerian legal scene, Justice Saulawa was elevated to the Bench of the Supreme Court on November 10, 2020.
- JUSTICE MOHAMMED LAWAL GARBA
Born on November 16, 1958, Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba hails from Gusau Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1981, after which he was appointed a Judge of the High Court of Justice, Sokoto State from 1993-1996.
He served as Chief Judge, High Court of Justice, Zamfara State from 1996-2004.
Remarkably, Justice Garba served as a member of the Presidential Election Panel in 2011 and also as Chairman of the Presidential Election Panel that dismissed the petition that former vice president Atiku filed to challenge the victory of former President Muhammadu Buhari, in 2019 presidential election.
He was elevated to the Supreme Court on November 6, 2020.
- JUSTICE TIJJANI ABUBAKAR
Hailing from the Base Local Government Area of Yobe State, Justice Abubakar was born on April 15, 1960.
Justice Abubakar graduated from the Nigerian Law School and was called to the Bar in 1983.
He worked in several legal parastatals in his home state.
After serving at the Lagos Division of the appellate court, in 2010, he was elevated to the Supreme Court bench.
- JUSTICE ADAMU JAURO
Justice Jauro was born on June 26, 1959.
He was born in Gombe State.
He bagged his law degree at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
He started working at the Ministry of Justice after being called to the bar in 1983
In 2007, he was promoted to the Court of Appeal and served in Jos, Lagos, Yola, Ibadan, and Port Harcourt.
He was elevated to the Supreme Court bench in November 2020.
- Justice Emmanuel Agim
Born on April 26, 1960, in Obudu, Cross Rivers State, Justice Agim served as chief justice of Gambia from 2009 to 2013.
Justice Agim bagged his first degree at the University of Calabar LLB (Hons), then BL from Nigerian Law School Lagos, and subsequently LLM from the University of Wolverhampton, United Kingdom
He served as chief justice of Swaziland.
Before becoming Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Agim served as justice at the Nigerian Courts of Appeal.
