The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen on Tuesday swore in Justice Uwani Musa Abba Aji as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
Speaking during the swearing-in ceremony which held at the ceremonial court of the apex court, the CJN urged Justice Abba Aji to leave his footprints on the sands of time in the apex court.
The CJN congratulated Justice Abba Aji for his appointment to the Bench of the Supreme Court, after 14 years of outstanding service at the Court of Appeal.
With the swearing-in of Justice Abba Aji, who was the presiding Justice of the Kaduna Division of the Court of Appeal, the number of justices of the Supreme Court has increased to 17.
According to the CJN, the elevation of Justice Abba Aji as Justice of the Supreme Court was for him to offer services to the nation at the highest court of the land.
“You have journeyed through thick and thin to get here. I personally was part of the panel that earlier interviewed you for elevation to this Court.
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“You have worked very hard to earn elevation to the Supreme Court, but as you must know already, the reward for hard work is even more hard work,” the CJN added.
He said that the Supreme Court diary is full with appeals set down for hearing up to the year 2021 and added that any matter that is assigned a date must be heard and determined one way or the other on that date.
The CJN said: “For appeals that may be discovered to have defects, I advised counsels to take necessary steps to amend such defects before the due hearing date. This means that everyone must come to the Court fully prepared for the business of the day, including the Justices, more than anyone else.
“What that means is that there is a lot of work waiting to be done here, especially with pre-election and post-election matters that will arise from the 2019 general elections.”
Justice Onnoghen said there will be at least one retirement which will further put pressure on the Bench of the Supreme Court, considering the workload already outlined.
The CJN, therefore, told Justice Abba Aji that his elevation to the Bench of Nigeria’s apex court was timely and positive.
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