Senate begins screening of Ogebe, Coomasie tomorrow

Taiwo Adisa, Abuja - 04.03.2008

The total market capitalisation in the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) The Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters headed by Senator Umaru Dahiru will tomorrow commence screening for the confirmation of the chairman, presidential election petition tribunal, Justice James Ogebe and another Justice of the Court of Appeal, Justice Muktar Coomasie, as Supreme Court justices.

Justices Ogebe and Coomasie were nominated for elevation to the Supreme Court by President Umaru Yar’Adua through a letter read on the floor of the Senate on February 20. The president said he had accepted the recommendation of the National Judicial Council in making the nomination.

Justice Ogebe did not chair the election petition tribunal last Tuesday. A letter from the committee confirming the commencement of the screening of the two justices stated that the screening would take place in Room 313 of the new Senate Complex on Wednesday at 2:00pm that day.

The president, in making the nominations of the justices, said there were vacancies in their respective geo-political zones, adding that the nominations were in conformity with Section 231(2) of the 1999 Constitution.