Abdullahi, Sofunde disagree on retirement age for judges
From Emmanuel Onwubiko,
Abuja
PRESIDENT of the Court of Appeal, Justice Umaru Farouk Abdullahi and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Ebun Sofunde, yesterday differed on a proposal to extend the retirement age of the nation's judges.
Chief Sofunde triggered off the controversy when he canvassed that the current retirement age of judges statutorily fixed at 70 should be reviewed upwards.
According to him, the 70 years age limit would "sweep away experienced jurists from the nation's judiciary."
But the president of the Court of Appeal promptly rejected the call, saying the preponderant opinion in the country supports the current retirement age, which will create opportunities for equally experienced but younger lawyers.
Both legal experts made their positions known during a valedictory session in honour of Justice Michael Eyaruoma Akpiroroh who retired from the Court of Appeal on April 6 this year, at 70.
Dignitaries at the event also showered encomiums on the jurist.
Chief Sofunde, who spoke first on behalf of the Senior Advocates of Nigeria, lamented the deplorable state of infrastructure in the nation's judiciary and the apparent poor working conditions of judges.
According to him, the nation's courts ought to be computerised and the working conditions improved.
On the call for an upwards review of the judges' retirement age, the lawyer anchored his position on the need to "optimally utilise the vast knowledge of law" and experience of the judges.
Sofunde, counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the presidential election petition tribunal, commended the justices of the Appellate courts for handling the ongoing petitions "with courage and sincerity."
The president of the Court of Appeal showered praises on his retiring colleague, saying:
"Honourable Justice Akipiroroh saw action at both levels in this new and volatile type of litigation. He was chairman of the election petition tribunal, which sat in Plateau State in 1998, and upon his elevation as a justice of the Court of Appeal, he participated in the numerous election appeals that came up before the Port Harcourt division of the court. His reputation is unsoiled."
