President Bola Tinubu has played a decisive card in the reshaping of Nigeria’s judiciary, formally requesting the Senate to confirm Justice Olubunmi Oyewole to the Supreme Court. It is a move that threads the needle between meritocratic elevation and the consolidation of loyalist networks.

In a letter read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio this Tuesday, Tinubu presented Oyewole’s nomination to fill the vacant Southwest slot on the apex court bench. While the nomination comes with the stamp of approval from the National Judicial Council (NJC), the historical subtext is impossible to ignore: Oyewole is a "Tinubu original," a judge whose ascent tracks closely with the President’s own political timeline.

The 2001 Connection

Justice Oyewole’s history with the President runs deep. He was first appointed to the Lagos State bench in May 2001—by none other than Bola Tinubu, who was then the Governor of Lagos. For over two decades, Oyewole has been a fixture in the judiciary, known for handling high-profile financial fraud cases, including the conviction of Bode George, a landmark ruling that earned him a reputation for fearlessness.

"He is a judge who knows where the bodies are buried, and more importantly, how the law applies to them," remarked a legal analyst in Abuja. His elevation to the Court of Appeal in 2014 was seen as a stepping stone; his arrival at the Supreme Court feels like a destiny fulfilled.

• Filling the Void: The appointment is critical to restoring the Supreme Court’s full complement of 21 justices, a capacity that has been severely depleted by retirements and deaths. A full bench is essential for clearing the massive backlog of political and commercial appeals choking the system.
• The Senate Rubber Stamp: With Akpabio swiftly referring the matter to the Committee on Judiciary, confirmation is all but guaranteed. The Senate, currently enjoying a harmonious (critics say subservient) relationship with the Executive, is unlikely to offer any resistance.

Judicial Independence or Capture?

While Oyewole’s credentials—spanning service in Makurdi, Calabar, Enugu, and Abuja divisions—are unimpeachable, his promotion reinforces the perception of the "Lagosification" of federal power. Tinubu is systematically elevating the cadre of technocrats and officials he groomed two decades ago.

As Justice Oyewole prepares to don the robe of a Supreme Court Justice, he carries with him not just the weight of the law, but the shadow of his patron. In a judiciary fighting for its independence, he will have to prove he serves the Constitution, not just the man who appointed him.