Bill To Increase FCT High Court Judges From 70 To 100 Passes Second Reading In House of Representatives
A proposed bill to expand the number of High Court Judges in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) from 70 to 100 has passed its second reading in the House of Representatives.
Sponsored by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, alongside Babajimi Benson, Akin Rotimi, and five others, the bill aims to address a critical aspect of judicial efficiency by amending Section 1 of the existing Act. This amendment seeks to boost the judiciary’s capacity to handle the growing volume and complexity of cases in Abuja.
One of the co-sponsors, Jonathan Gbefwi, highlighted the pressing need for this reform while leading the debate during Thursday’s plenary session. He noted that at the start of the 2022/2023 legal year, the FCT High Court carried forward 12,513 pending cases, with an additional 5,952 new cases assigned during the same period.
“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 playing a pivotal role in cases of national importance,” Gbefwi explained.
He further emphasized that the current limit on the number of judges significantly hampers the court’s ability to deliver timely justice, stating:
“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.”
Gbefwi added that the growing population and economic development in Abuja have exacerbated the challenges faced by the FCT High Court, making the need for additional judges increasingly urgent.
“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,” he concluded.
Following a voice vote conducted by Speaker Tajudeen, the bill successfully passed its second reading.
