Former Cjn Mohammed Uwais dies at 89

A former main judge of Nigeria, Cjn, Mohammed Uwais, died. He was 89.

According to reports, a family source confirmed that the retired jurist died on Friday 6 June 2025 in Abuja.

The preparations were said to be in progress for his funeral prayer and burial.

Born on June 12, 1936, judge Uwais was head of Nigeria from 1995 until his retreat in 2006.

After retiring by the Supreme Court, he was appointed by the deceased president Musa Musa Yar’adua to guide the electoral reform committee, where he played a key role in the efforts to improve the electoral system of Nigeria.

■ Biography

Mohammed Lawal Uwais Gcon (born on June 12, 1936, died on June 6, 2025) was a Nigerian jurist who was the main judge of the Nigeria Supreme Court from 1995 to 2006.

He chaired a commission that published a very advertised report on the electoral reform.

Uwais was the son of the head Alkali, and subsequently Waziri of Zaria Emirato.

■ Electoral reform report

After retiring from the Supreme Court, Uwais chaired a group of electoral reforms that presented a report on 11 December 2008 with recommendations that included the creation of commissions to face electoral crimes, the delimitation of the electoral college and the registration and regulation of political parties.

Part of the power invested in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INC) and the state independent electoral commissions would be transferred to the new commissions.

The Committee recommended proportional representation in the elections to federal and state legislatures and to the Councils of the local government.

The report also recommended that the head of the independent national electoral commission is appointed by the judiciary rather than by the president. This recommendation was rejected by President Umaru Yar’adua.

Yar’adua submitted a modified version of the Uwais report to the legislator in 2009, attracting significant criticisms since many believed that the recent elections had been deeply imperfect and that basic reforms were needed.

In March 2010, Interim President Goodluck Jonathan sent an unpublished version of the report to the National Assembly for approval, implicitly, stating that recommendations should be implemented in their entirety before the national elections of 2011.

The question of the power to appoint the Incen head has remained controversial. Before Jonathan had reinvied the report, the Senate Committee on the revision of the Constitution had rejected the recommendation to transfer this power to the judiciary.

After the reinvision, the deputy head of the whip of the Senate, Mohammed Mana, argued that the judiciary appoints the president of the Inc has violated the principle of separation of powers, since the judiciary was responsible for listening to the cases deriving from the elections. [Biography by Wikipedia]

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