Abuja, June 8, 2023, President Bola Tinubu on Thursday signed into law the bill on uniform retirement age for judicial officers.
The bill was passed by the outgoing Ninth National Assembly, but not assented to by former President Muhamadu Buhari.
The bill was one of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Fifth Alteration) Bills No. 20 of 2022
It was sent to President Muhammadu Buhari for his assent in line with the provisions of the Authentication Act., but the former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General, Sheu Malami, advised the president not to sign the bill.
The bill seeks to ensure uniformity in the retirement age and pension rights of judicial officers of all superior courts of record.
It seeks to extend the retirement age of Judges from 65 to 70 years.
With the presidential assent, judicial officers of the various superior courts of record listed in Section 6(5)(c) -(i) of the Constitution will have a synchronised retirement age of 70 which only the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal Justices enjoyed before, instead of the 65 years that formerly obtained.
Altimately, the Act will improve the efficiency and output of judicial officers.
The motion for the Act was sponsored by the Chairman of the Senate Ad hoc Committee on Constitution Review, Ovie Omo-Agege.
The Act met the requirements of the constitutional amendment provisions outlined under Section 9(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
(GBN)
