National Judicial Council Recommends Kekere-Ekun As Next CJN

The National Judicial Council has recommended Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun to become the next Chief Justice of Nigeria.

The recommendation was made in its 106th meeting, which was chaired by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, who recommended Justice Kekere-Ekun, to President Bola Tinubu, for appointment as the next CJN on Thursday in Abuja.

This information was shared in a statement by the NJC’s Director of Information, Soji Oye.

He stated, “This recommendation is crucial as Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola is set to officially retire as the Chief Justice of Nigeria next week, Thursday, August 22, 2024.”

If approved by the president, Justice Kekere-Ekun will become the second female CJN in the history of Nigeria, the first being Justice Mariam Mukhtar, who held the position from July 2012 to November 2014.

The outgoing CJN, Ariwoola, will bow out of the bench on August 22, having attained the mandatory retirement age of 70.

NJC also made the recommendations of 27 others as judges of state high courts in the meeting, which will be forwarded to their various state governors and the president for approval.

“The Council also recommends twenty-seven (27) candidates for appointment as judges of state courts and a candidate for appointment as Kadi of the Sharia Court of the FCT, Abuja, to their various state governors and Mr President.”

All recommended candidates are expected to be sworn in after the approval of the NJC recommendations to the President and their respective state governors.