Mohammed Uwais
{{Short description|Nigerian jurist (1936–2025)}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox Officeholder
|name = Mohammed Lawal Uwais
|honorific_suffix = GCON CON
|image =
|office1 = Chief Justice of Nigeria
|term_start1 = 1995
|term_end1 = 12 June 2006
|predecessor1 = Mohammed Bello
|successor1 = Salihu Moddibo Alfa Belgore
|birth_date = {{birth date|1936|06|12|df=y}}
|birth_place = Zaria, Northern Region, Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria (now Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria)
|death_date = {{death date and age|2025|6|6|1936|6|12|df=y}}
|death_place =
|party =
}}
Mohammed Lawal Uwais {{Post-nominals|country=NGA|GCON}} (12 June 1936 – 6 June 2025){{cite web|url=http://fjsc.gov.ng/hon-justice-muhammadu-lawal-uwais/|title=Hon. Justice Muhammadu Lawal Uwais, GCON|publisher=Federal Judicial Service Commission}} was a Nigerian jurist who served as the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria from 1995 to 2006. He chaired a commission that published a much-publicized report on electoral reform.{{Cite web |date=2019-05-24 |title=Revisiting Justice Uwais’s Electoral Reform Report – CLEEN Foundation |url=https://cleen.org/2019/05/24/revisiting-justice-uwaiss-electoral-reform-report/ |access-date=2024-07-10 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Iniobong |first=Iwok |date=2023-11-27 |title=Everything about electoral reform is in Uwais report, problem is implementation - Odion Akhaine |url=https://businessday.ng/interview/article/everything-about-electoral-reform-is-in-uwais-report-problem-is-implementation-odion-akhaine/ |access-date=2024-07-10 |website=Businessday NG |language=en-US}}
Uwais was the son of the Chief Alkali, and later Waziri of Zaria emirate.{{cite web
|url=http://www.dawodu.com/paden1.htm
|title=The Sokoto Caliphate and its Legacies (1804–2004)
|author=Prof. John N. Paden
|work=Dawodu
|date=27 October 2007
|accessdate=3 May 2010}}
Electoral reform report
After retiring from the Supreme Court, Uwais chaired a panel on electoral reform that submitted a report on 11 December 2008 with recommendations that included establishing commissions to deal with Electoral Offences, Constituency Delimitation and Political Parties Registration and Regulation.
Some of the power vested in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the State Independent Electoral Commissions would be transferred to the new commissions.
The committee recommended proportional representation in elections to the Federal and State legislatures and to the local government councils.{{cite web
|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/200812120759.html
|date=12 December 2008
|work=Daily Champion
|title=Electoral Reform – UWAIS Panel Recommends Independent Candidates
|author=Daniel Idonor
|accessdate=3 May 2010}}
The report also recommended that the head of the Independent National Electoral Commission should be appointed by the judiciary rather than the President.
This recommendation was rejected by President Umaru Yar'Adua.{{cite web
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7939139.stm
|date=12 March 2009
|work=BBC News
|title=Nigeria election reform 'U-turn'
|accessdate=3 May 2010}}
Yar'Adua forwarded a modified version of the Uwais report to the legislature in 2009, drawing considerable criticism since many felt that recent elections had been deeply flawed and that basic reforms were required.{{Cite news
|work=Nigerian Compass
|title=Electoral reform: Doctoring of Uwais report unacceptable
|date=24 March 2009 |author=HOPE AFOKE ORIVRI
}}
In March 2010, Acting President Goodluck Jonathan forwarded an unedited version of the report to the National Assembly for approval, by implication, saying that the recommendations should be implemented in their entirety before the 2011 national elections.{{cite web
|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201003191069.html
|title=Electoral Reform – Can Jonathan Make Any Difference?
|work=ThisDay
|date=18 March 2010
|accessdate=3 May 2010}}
The issue of power to appoint the INEC head remained controversial.
Before Jonathan had resubmitted the report, the Senate Committee on the Review of the Constitution had rejected the recommendation to transfer this power to the judiciary.{{cite web
|url=http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/03/01/senators-disagree-over-uwais-panels-report-on-inec-chairs-job/
|work=Vanguard
|title=Senators disagree over Uwais panel's report on INEC chair's job
|date=1 March 2010
|author=Emmanuel Aziken
|accessdate=3 May 2010}}
After the resubmission, deputy chief whip of the Senate, Mohammed Mana, argued that letting judiciary appoint the INEC chairman violated the principle of separation of powers, since the judiciary was responsible for hearing the cases arising from elections.{{cite web
|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/200903301276.html
|title=National Assembly Will Decide Who Becomes INEC Chairman – Mana
|work=Leadership
|author=Stanley Yakubu
|date=29 March 2009}}
Personal life
Uwais was born on 12 June 1936, in Zaria, Kaduna State.{{cite news |title=Mohammed Uwais at 85: A remarkable bench career |url=https://guardian.ng/opinion/mohammed-uwais-at-85-a-remarkable-bench-career/ |access-date=6 June 2025 |publisher=The Guardian}} He died on 6 June 2025, at the age of 88.{{cite news |title=Tsohon Alkalin Alkalan Najeriya, Lawal Uwais ya rasu |url=https://aminiya.ng/tsohon-alkalin-alkalan-najeriya-lawal-uwais-ya-rasu/ |access-date=6 June 2025 |publisher=Media Trust Limited}}
References
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{{Chief Justices of Nigeria}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Uwais, Mohammed}}