The National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended Justice Kudirat Motonmori Kekere-Ekun to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointment as the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN). This decision was made during the NJC’s 106th meeting, which was presided over by the current CJN, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, on August 14 and 15, 2024, in Abuja.
NJC spokesman Soji Oye disclosed the recommendation in a statement on Thursday. The move comes just a week before Justice Ariwoola’s retirement, scheduled for August 22, 2024, when he will reach the mandatory retirement age of 70. Justice Ariwoola, who was appointed as CJN on September 21, 2022, by former President Muhammadu Buhari, will step down after nearly two years in the role.
Justice Kekere-Ekun, the most senior Justice on the Supreme Court bench, is poised to succeed Justice Ariwoola. Her recommendation aligns with the longstanding tradition of appointing the most senior Justice as the next CJN.
Additionally, the NJC has recommended 27 candidates for appointment as Judges of State Courts and one candidate for appointment as Kadi of the Sharia Court of the FCT, Abuja, to their respective State Governors and President Tinubu.
