Today, the National Judicial Council (NJC) is expected to forward the name of Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun to President Bola Tinubu for approval as the new Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN). This follows her recommendation during the NJC’s 106th meeting, held on Thursday.
The meeting was chaired by the outgoing CJN, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, who suggested that her name be sent for the President’s approval to fill the country’s highest judicial position.
NJC’s Director of Information, Soji Oye, confirmed the development, stating that Justice Kekere-Ekun’s name would be officially presented to the President today.
“The meeting just finished today, so tomorrow is when My Lord’s name will be taken to the President for his approval of her as the next CJN,” Oye told The PUNCH.
Justice Ariwoola, who has served as CJN since November 2022, will retire on August 22, 2024. Once the President approves her appointment, Justice Kekere-Ekun will make history as the second woman to hold the esteemed office. Justice Mariam Mukhtar was the first female CJN, serving from 2012 to 2014.
At the same Thursday meeting, the NJC also recommended 27 other candidates for appointment as judges in state high courts and one candidate as Kadi for the Sharia Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. Their names will be forwarded to their respective state governors and the President for final approval.
Some of the states benefiting from these recommendations include Kwara, Kaduna, Benue, Rivers, and Ondo. For example, Kwara State has six candidates for its High Court, while Rivers State will have eight new judges appointed if the recommendations are approved.
