I will unbundle the Supreme Court, Keyamo promises

.Says Nigeria to have 6 regional apex courts

.Submits that constitution is replete with mistakes, needs amendment

Tunde Opalana, Abuja

A ministerial nominee, Festus Keyamo (SAN) from Delta State said if President Muhammadu Buhari appoints him minister of justice and attorney general of the federation, his first priority assignment will be to restructure the Supreme Court.

Keyamo said the Supreme Court will henceforth, operate on regional basis with one in each of the six geopolitical zones of the country, lamenting that the apex court is the busiest in the world and is over-burdened with frivolous cases that are below the standard of the highest court in the judicial system of any nation.

The spokesperson of the Buhari/ Osinbajo Presidential Campaign Council highlighted his plan for a holistic reformation of the nation’s judicial system while fielding questions from senators on Friday during the screening of ministerial nominees.

Keyamo said the Supreme Court in Abuja will handle cases bordering on constitutional, political and election jurisdiction while the court at regional level will handle other classes of cases.

He as well faulted the decision of cases before the Supreme Court as presently constituted by just seven out of the 21 justices on the bench, describing such as scandalous.

Keyamo frowned at the provision of the court establishment that makes the remaining 14 justices indolent and involuntary acceptance of the verdict of the ruling seven judges without power to raise objections.

“If the President assigns me the portfolio of the attorney general, the first thing I will do is to reform the judiciary with my cardinal reformation principle, namely to decongest the Supreme Court, to decongest the prisons and to decongest courts across the country.

“As an attorney general of the federation, I will decongest the Supreme Court which is the busiest in the world. Nigeria will have six regional Supreme Courts. Let me say without being immodest that the Supreme Court diary uptill 2022 is fully booked.

“I will press for an amendment of the 31 justices. I will make a holistic restructuring of the Supreme Court and unbundling of the court,” he asserted.

Keyamo, who commended the 7th National Assembly for passing the Administration of Criminal Justice Act which provides for prison decongestion in the country, lamented that only a few states in the country have replicated the provision in their judicial system, adding that “it is unfortunate, that the provisions are not complied with by states. State governments must amend their criminal procedure acts.”

The nominee picked holes in the 1999 Constitution (as amended) as being replete with mistakes that impact negatively on the judicial system, submitting that a handful of provisions of the constitution need to be amended.

Keyamo specifically called for a review of the constitutional powers granted the attorney general at the federation and state levels, particularly the provision that says the discretion of the attorney general cannot be questioned.

He said: “Let us amend the constitution to make power of the director of public prosecution. It should be subjected to review.”

When asked by Senator Dino Melaye on the usurpation of the power of the Code of Conduct Bureau by the Presidential Committee on Recovery of Public Properties headed by Okono Obla, he agreed that there is a conflict of roles, but blamed the inability of the legislature to amend the provision.

Keyamo explained that the committee in question was a creation of the military decree in 1984, but was transmitted into law by an Act of parliament while the legislature under subsequent governments has not attempted to amend the provision.

Also, during the screening exercise, a constitutional issue was raised by the senator representing Bayelsa West, Sen. Lawrence Ewrujakpor, who noted that the Senate has breached Section 121 of the Senate Standing Rule and Part 2 of the 5th Schedule of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) in screening nominees without proper asset declaration.

Ewrujakpor said nominees are constitutionally requested to have declared their assets before been screened for appointment into public offices.

He said: “Mr. President, I noticed that this trend was not followed since we started this screening exercise. This is a breach of our rule and that of the provision of the constitution.”

The senator said glossing over this important constitutional provision is not in tandem with the anti- corruption campaign of the incumbent administration of President Buhari.

“This call is not to witch – hunt anybody, but to satisfy constitutional provisions. It could be ascribed to the hurried nature of the assignment. I am happy that the Senate has taken note. We have not lost any ground, we can make amends,” he added

The Senate President noted the point of order. Meanwhile, the Senate on Friday screened seven nominees, bringing to 31 the number of ministers- designates so far screened.

Screened on Friday were Abubakar Malami from Kebbi State, Sen. Hadi Sirika from Katsina State, Dr. Osagie Ehanire from Edo State, Mrs. Paullen Tallen from Plateau State, Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi from Sokoto State, Festus Keyamo from Delta State and Dr. Ali Isa Pantami from Gombe State