Reps move to increase number of FCT High Court Judges from 70 to 100

A Bill seeking to increase the number of High Court Judges in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, from 70 to 100 has passed a second reading in the House of Representatives.

The Bill seeks to address a fundamental aspect of the judiciary’s ability to deliver timely justice, which is an increase in the number of judges in the High Court of the FCT.

The Bill sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, Babajimi Benson, Akin Rotimi and five others was passed for a second reading at the plenary on Thursday.

The Bill proposes an amendment to Section 1 of the extant Act to increase the number of Judges in the FCT High Court from the current maximum of 70 Judges (arising from the 2016 Amendment of the Act) to a minimum of 100 Judges thus allowing for greater judicial capacity to address the current and future needs of the court.

Leading the debate on its general principles of the Bill, one of the co-sponsors Jonathan Gbefwi recalled that at the beginning of the 2022/2023 legal year, the FCT High Court carried forward 12,513 pending cases from the previous year, underscoring a substantial backlog and over the same period, the court assigned an additional 5,952 new cases, bringing the workload to a level that greatly strains available judicial resources.

He explained that the High Court of the FCT is limited in the number of judges it can engage, saying this inadequacy significantly affects the rising volume and complexity of cases brought before it.

The amendment, he noted, was a crucial and necessary intervention to uphold the principles of timely justice, judicial efficiency, and the rule of law in Nigeria.

He expressed optimism that by increasing the number of Judges, this amendment is anticipated to reduce delays in case resolution, ensure more efficient handling of cases, and consequently, enhance public confidence in the judiciary.

Gbefwi stated: “The Bill which was read the first time on Tuesday, 23rd July 2024, seeks to address a fundamental aspect of our judiciary’s ability to deliver timely justice, by seeking to increase the number of judges in the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

“The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja stands as a crucial pillar in Nigeria’s judicial framework, serving not only the residents of Abuja but also, in many respects, playing a pivotal role in cases of national importance.

“However, as it currently stands, the High Court of the FCT is limited in the number of judges it can engage. This inadequacy significantly affects the rising volume and complexity of cases brought before it. The court’s current judge complement, though dedicated, is insufficient to keep up with these caseloads.

“The considerable backlog reflects the limitations faced by the court in addressing the high volume of cases, which is only anticipated to increase with Abuja’s population growth and economic development.

“Given the rapid expansion of Abuja’s population, coupled with an increasing caseload spanning various legal domains, the need for additional judges has become pressing.

“This amendment Bill is therefore introduced to address these systemic challenges by increasing the statutory number of judges for the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory.”

The Bill was, thereafter, put to a voice vote by Speaker, Tajudeen and passed for a second reading. It was also referred to the Committee on FCT Judiciary and Constitution Review for further legislative action.