The Nigerian Senate has confirmed the appointments of Prof. Dakas Dakas as Chairman and Dr. Uchenna Okolocha as Commissioner of the Nigerian Law Reform Commission (NLRC), following their nomination by President Bola Tinubu in June 2025.
However, Prof. Fatima Alkali, nominated to represent the North-East, formally declined the appointment and duly notified the Presidency of her decision.
Presenting the report of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire (SAN), the Committee Chairman, stated that both confirmed nominees were found to have the requisite qualifications, competence, experience, and integrity to serve on the Commission.
In light of Prof. Alkali’s withdrawal, the Committee recommended that the Presidency appoint a new female nominee from the North-East, in order to maintain regional balance and ensure gender inclusion on the Commission.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, subsequently put the motion for confirmation to a voice vote, with the chamber approving the nominations of Prof. Dakas and Dr. Okolocha. The third nominee, Prof. Alkali, was excluded from the confirmation due to her earlier withdrawal.
The NLRC is a statutory body tasked with the review, reform, and modernization of Nigerian laws to reflect current realities and uphold justice and equity.
