9th June, 2023
By Ismail Abdulaziz
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday signed his first bill into law since he was sworn into office on 29 May, 2023.
Tinubu signed the bill intended to bring retirement age and pension rights of judicial officers into uniformity among other related matters
While signing the bill, Tinubu pledged his administration’s dedication to strengthening the judiciary and ensuring the rule of law.
He added that the the Federal Government would continue to empower judicial officers to execute their responsibilities effectively.
The bill was transmitted by the Senate to former President Muhammadu Buhari in May for his assent in line with the provision of the Authentication Act.
A statement by Mr Abiodun Oladunjoye, Director of Information in the State House, said Tinubu assented to the bill to amend the constitution.
“In exercising the powers vested in him under the 1999 Constitution as amended, President Bola Tinubu on Thursday at the State House assented to a fresh amendment of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.
With the signing of the Constitutional Amendment Bill, retirement age and pension rights of judicial officers have been effectively brought into uniformity among other related matters.
The bill seeks to ensure uniformity in the retirement age and pension rights of judicial officers of all superior courts of record.
With this, 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 instead of 65 years.
The Uniform Retirement Age Bill only seeks to bring the retirement age of High Court Judges to be at par with that of the Justices of the two appellate courts.
The law will promote public confidence in the judicial system and protect judicial independence.
It will also eliminate the possibility of removal of judicial officers by the executive arm of government.
(NAN)
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