Tinubu swears Justice Kekere-Ekun as 23rd CJN

President Bola Tinubu has sworn in Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun as the new chief justice of Nigeria.

 

Kekere-Ekun took the oath of office and signed the oath register at 11.40 am at the Council Chamber of the State House, Abuja on Friday.

She succeds Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, the 17th Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) who officially retired from the bench on Thursday August 22nd reaching the statutory retirement age of 70.

The retirement of the Jurist on August 22, marks the end of his judicial career.

Justice Ariwoola who hails from Oyo State was appointed to the Supreme Court bench on November 22, 2011. He rose through the rank and became the acting CJN on June 27, 2022, upon the sudden resignation of his predecessor, Justice Tanko Muhammad after a controversy that erupted between him and other justices of the Supreme Court.

A valedictory session was held in his honour at the Supreme Court complex.

Ariwoola’s appointment as CJN was formally confirmed by the Nigerian Senate on September 21, 2022 and was sworn in on October 27 after endorsement by former President Muhammadu Buhari.

 

Justice Kekere-Ekun steps in

The National Judicial Council (NJC) had on August 15 recommended Kekere-Ekun to the president as Ariwoola’s sucessor.

The recommendation was made during the NJC’s 106th meeting presided over by Ariwoola.

By constitutional provision, Kekere-Ekun is meant to assume the office of CJN in acting capacity as the next most senior justice of the supreme court. However, it is not automatic but there are strong indications that Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun would be a successor to Ariwoola as the new Chief Justice of Nigeria.

With her appointment as the new CJN, following her recommendation by NJC to President Tinubu, Justice Kekere-Ekun will become the second female CJN in Nigeria. The first female CJN was Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar who served from July 2012 to November 2014.

According to Section 231(4) of the constitution, the president is expected to appoint the next in line to perform the functions of the CJN upon the office becoming vacant, until a substantive CJN is appointed.

Also Section 231(5) of the constitution provides that unless the NJC recommends otherwise, the acting CJN can only operate in the position for three months from the date of his/her appointment.

According to the section, an acting CJN shall not be reappointed after the appointment has lapsed.