NJC meets Friday over CJN Ariwoola’s successor

The National Judicial Council is set to meet on Friday, August 16, to decide on the successor of the outgoing Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.

Ariwoola is billed to bow out on August 22, when he will attain the mandatory retirement age of 70.

An impeccable source at the Supreme Court told our correspondent on Tuesday that the NJC had fixed a meeting for Friday to deliberate on who becomes the next CJN.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the press, noted that whatever name(s) was decided on at the NJC meeting would be forwarded to President Bola Tinubu for consideration.

The source said, “The NJC has fixed Friday to meet to take a decision on the name to be forwarded to the President on who the next CJN would be. No name has been sent to the President yet as the NJC has not even met.”

The Supreme Court currently has the full complement of 21 Justices.

In the long tradition of the apex court, the next most senior Justice will likely step in.

By their hierarchies, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun is the most senior Justice on the apex court bench and is the likeliest successor.

Justice Ariwoola will exit his position as CJN on August 22, 2024, upon attaining the mandatory retirement age of 70.

The Supreme Court has fixed the same date for a valedictory session to honour him for his service to the country.

Justice Ariwoola, from Oyo State, became the CJN on October 12, 2022, succeeding Justice Tanko Mohammed from Bauchi State.

Going by Section 231 (4) of the 1999 Constitution, Justice Ariwoola’s exit will lead to the emergence of a new CJN. The most senior justice of the Supreme Court will succeed him.

This translates to the baton automatically going to Justice  Kekere-Ekun, who is the next most senior Justice on the apex court bench.

Previously, a source at the Supreme Court had confirmed to The PUNCH that Justice Kekere-Edun’s emergence as the next CJN “is very certain”.

“This one is very certain. You know normally they will send three names but it is always the most senior and even the most senior is already warming up to take over,” the source said.

When confirmed as the next CJN, Justice Kekere-Ekun will become Nigeria’s second female CJN after Justice Aloma Mukhtar, who served between July 2012 and November 2014.

If confirmed as the next CJN, 66-year-old Justice Kekere-Ekun will steer the judiciary for four years till 2028 when she will clock the mandatory retirement age of 70.

A life bencher, Justice Kekere-Ekun started her career in private practice from 1985 to 1989 after which she was appointed as a Senior Magistrate Grade II, Lagos State Judiciary in December 1989.

She was appointed a judge of the High Court of Lagos State on July 19, 1996. She served as Chairman Robbery and Firearms Tribunal, Zone II, Ikeja, Lagos from November 1996 to May 1999.

She was elevated to the Court of Appeal on September 22, 2004, where she served in various divisions of the court and as presiding justice of two divisions of the court (Makurdi & Aku) in 2021 and 2022, respectively.

She was elevated to the Supreme Court of Nigeria as the fifth female Justice of the court and was sworn in on Monday,  July 8, 2023.