Malami, who spoke at a valedictory court session held in honour of a retired justice of the apex court, Justice Abdu Aboki, said the appointments would be done in anticipation of expected surge in number of cases” that will arise from the general elections.
“With the successive exits of my lords, Hon. Justice Mary Ukaego Peter-Odili, Hon. Justice Dr. Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, and now, the distinguished Hon. Justice Abdu Aboki, the apex court has almost returned to its pre-2020 numerical strength, with just 13 justices, as against the required 21 under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
However, Malami’s position drew the irr of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, BOSAN, which demanded an immediate review of the appointment process it described as “unsatisfactory in the extreme”.