Uwais, who served as CJN from 1995 to 2006, in the early hours of Friday at 88.
A statement issued on Saturday by Usman said late Uwais advanced the cause of justice and set the benchmark for generations to follow when he was the CJN.
The former minister said the recommendations of the electoral report committee reflected Uwais’ “deep commitment to democratic excellence and national progress”.
“His principled and visionary leadership as Chief Justice of Nigeria not only advanced the cause of justice but also set a benchmark for generations of legal minds to follow,” the statement reads.
“It is with profound grief that I received the news of the passing of Honourable Justice Mohammed Uwais — an exceptional jurist, a revered elder statesman, and a shining beacon of integrity in Nigeria’s judicial history.
“Justice Uwais’ enduring legacy is profoundly etched in the annals of our nation’s jurisprudence.
“His transition is a monumental loss, not only to his beloved family and the legal community but to Nigeria as a whole — a country he served with uncommon dedication and grace throughout his distinguished career.
“On behalf of the entire Labour Party family, I extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, colleagues, and indeed the entire nation.”
THE 2007 ELECTORAL REFORMS COMMITTEE
In August 2007, the late former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua set up a 22-member committee on electoral reforms, chaired by Uwais, in response to widespread criticisms of the elections that brought him to power.
The committee submitted its report in December 2008.
The Uwais report proposed sweeping reforms, including the transfer of the power to appoint the commissioners and chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from the president to the National Judicial Council (NJC) to guarantee independence.
The committee also proposed that the INEC chairman and commissioners should be subject to Senate confirmation after nomination by the NJC.
In addition, the report recommended the unbundling of INEC, independent candidacy, and a specific timeline for election dispute resolution.
Many of the committee’s recommendations have not been implemented.
