By KINGSLEY OKOYE

The Senate passed for second reading, a bill for an act to amend the Court of Appeal Act, to among other things, increase the number of Justices of the court from 70 to 110.

This followed the presentation of the general principles of the bill at plenary on Tuesday by the Senate Leader Sen. Bamidele Opeyemi (APC-Ekiti).

Bamidele, leading the debate, said the bill sought to amend the Court of Appeal Act, Cap. C36, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, to strengthen the administration of justice in Nigeria through expansion of the court.

He said the bill seeks to modernise operations and enhancement of access to justice and provide for integration of virtual court proceedings.

He said that the appeal court as an appellate jurisdiction occupies a strategic position within the Nigerian judiciary.

“Over the years, the court of appeal has experienced a significant increase in its workload arising from population growth, expansion of economic activities, increasing electoral disputes, constitutional litigation, commercial transactions and the growing demand for judicial remedies.”

He, however, said unfortunately, the institutional capacity of the court had not expanded at the same pace as the volume and complexity of cases.

Bamidele said there was an urgent need for legislative intervention to reposition the courts for greater efficiency, accessibility and responsiveness to contemporary realities.

He said the passage of the bill would have far-reaching benefits for the administration of justice in Nigeria.

Bamidele said its passage would give rise to an efficient appellate court system, that is sacrosanct in the quest for national development, enduring democratic governance and the rule of law.

He said the bill represents a timely and necessary reform of the court of appeal.

“It addresses long standing structural and operational challenges while preparing the court to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving society.”

The Ekiti- lawmaker said the proposed amendments were carefully designed to strengthen judicial capacity, modernise court operations, expand access to justice and improve the overall efficiency of appellate adjudication in Nigeria.

“In view of the foregoing, I therefore urge this distinguished senate to give the court of appeal amendment bill, 2026, a favourable consideration and support its second reading,” Bamidele said.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio, after the bill passed second reading, referred it to the Committee on Judiciary Human Rights and Legal Matters for further legislative input.

The committee is to return to plenary as soon as practicable.

Akpabio said the bill, when passed would help decongest the court of appeal and speed up dispensation of Justice, adding that justice delayed is justice denied. (NAN)

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