The National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun as the next Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).
Justice Kekere-Ekun’s recommendation to President Bola Tinubu came as a sequel to the NJC’s 106th meeting on Thursday, August 15, 2024.
In a statement issued by Soji Oye, NJC’s Director of Information in Abuja, the judges recommendation is important because the current CJN Justice Olukayode Ariwoola will formally bow out of office August 22.
Oye said the NJC also recommended 27 candidates for appointment as Judges of States Courts and a candidate for appointment as Kadi of the Sharia Court of the FCT, Abuja to their various State Governors.
Six Judges for High Court of Kwara State are Olawoyin, Ibijoke Olabisi, Abdulrazaq, Fatimah Funsho, Folorunsho, Oba Muritala, Dikko, Yusuf Adebayo, Adeniyi, Oluwatosin Adenike and Osuolale-Ajayi, Temitope Olalekan.
According to Oye, the only Judge for High Court of Kaduna State is Zubairu, Murtala Ja’afaru.
The following four Judges were appointed for High Court Benue State, Kor, Vincent Tersoo, Ikwulono, Maigida Maimuna, Adagba, Nguhemen Julie and Tor, Damian Tersugh.
While two Judges appointed for Customary Court of Appeal, Benue State were Onche, Ogah Inalegwu and Igba, Theophilus Terhile.
The eight Judges for High Court of Rivers State were Onyiri, Frank, Ugoji, Victor Chinedum, Obomanu, Godswill Vidal, Oguguo, Rita Chituru, Fubara, Alatuwo Elkanah, Kokpan, Bariyima Sylvester, Obu, Ibietela Innocent Madighi and Wifa-Adedipe, Lesi.
The six for High Court of Ondo State were Daomi, Williams Adebisi, Fabuluje, Adewumi William, Ogunwumiju, Mobayonle, Idowu, Demehin-Ogunbayo, Inumidun Happiness, Kpemi, Ojufisintei Justinah and Adegoroye, Olufunke Adeola
One Kadi appointed for the Sharia Court of Appeal, Fct Abuja was Muhammad, Lawal Munir.
Oye further stated that all the recommended candidates are expected to be sworn-in after the approval of the NJC recommendations to the president and their respective state governors.
Should her appointment scale through, Justice Kekere-Ebun would become the second woman to be CJN.
On July 16th, 2012, Aloma Mukhtar was sworn in as the first woman CJN by the then serving President of Nigeria Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, who conferred on her the National Honour of the Grand Commander of the Order of Niger (GCON).