By Jennifer Amarachi
The National Judicial Council will convene on Friday, August 16, to select the successor to Nigeria’s outgoing Chief Justice, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.
Ariwoola is scheduled to retire on August 22, when he will reach the obligatory retirement age of 70.
An immaculate source at the Supreme Court told our correspondent on Tuesday that the NJC had scheduled a meeting on Friday to discuss who will be the new CJN.
The source, who craved anonymity stated that whichever name(s) were agreed upon during the NJC meeting will be given to President Bola Tinubu for consideration.
The source stated, “The NJC has scheduled a meeting for Friday to decide on the name to be forwarded to the President as the next CJN. As the NJC has yet to meet, no names have been given to the President. The Supreme Court currently has its full complement of 21 Justices”.
In keeping with the Supreme Court’s long tradition, the next most senior Justice will most certainly step in. According to their rankings, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun is the most senior Justice on the supreme court bench and the most likely successor. Justice Ariwoola will step down as Chief Justice of Nigeria on August 22, 2024, when he reaches the obligatory retirement age of 70.
The Supreme Court has set the same date for a valedictory session to recognize him for his contributions to the country. Justice Ariwoola of Oyo State succeeded Justice Tanko Mohammed of Bauchi State as Chief Justice of Nigeria on October 12, 2022. According to Section 231 (4) of the 1999 Constitution, Justice Ariwoola’s departure will result in the creation of a new CJN.
The most senior justice on the Supreme Court will succeed him. This means that the baton automatically passes to Justice Kekere-Ekun, the next most senior Justice on the Supreme Court bench.
“This one is for certain. You know, they always send three names, but it is always the most senior, and even the most senior is already preparing to take over,” A source stated.
When approved as the next CJN, Justice Kekere-Ekun will become Nigeria’s second female CJN, succeeding Justice Aloma Mukhtar, who served from July 2012 to November 2014.
If confirmed as the next CJN, 66-year-old Justice Kekere-Ekun will lead the judiciary for four years, until 2028, when she will reach the statutory retirement age of 70.
Justice Kekere-Ekun, a life bencher,
began her career in private practice from 1985 to 1989 before being appointed as a Senior Magistrate Grade II, Lagos State Judiciary, in December 1989.
On July 19, 1996, she was appointed as a judge of the Lagos State High Court. From November 1996 until May 1999, she served as Chairman of the Robbery and Firearms Tribunal, Zone II, Ikeja, Lagos.
She was appointed to the Court of Appeal on September 22, 2004, and has served in numerous divisions of the court, including as presiding justice of two divisions (Makurdi and Aku) in 2021 and 2022.
She was appointed as the Supreme Court of Nigeria’s fifth female justice and sworn in on Monday, July 8, 2023.
