Justice Mohammed Lawal Uwais, a former Chief Justice of Nigeria, has died at the age of 89. A family source confirmed that the retired jurist passed away on Friday, 6 June 2025, in Abuja. Funeral prayer and burial arrangements are currently underway.
Born on 12 June 1936, Uwais served as Chief Justice of Nigeria from 1995 until his retirement in 2006. He was widely respected for his integrity and significant contributions to Nigeria’s legal and democratic systems.
After retiring, he was appointed by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua to lead a high-level committee on electoral reform, a task he carried out with distinction. Justice Uwais was known for his impartiality and legal acumen, making him a natural choice to head the committee that played a crucial role in proposing changes to Nigeria’s electoral system.
BusinessDay states that the committee submitted its report on 11 December 2008. Among its key recommendations were the creation of independent commissions for electoral offences, constituency boundary reviews, and regulation of political parties. It also proposed “a shift towards proportional representation in elections at all levels of government.”
Perhaps the most debated recommendation was the call for the head of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be appointed by the judiciary instead of the President, aiming “to ensure greater independence and credibility.” This proposal was ultimately rejected but remains a significant part of his enduring legacy.