Onnoghen For CJN As Justice Muhammed Retires
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mahmud Mohammed will bow out of the Bench today. He is to exit the office after attaining the mandatory retirement age of 70years.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to swear in Justice Walter Nkanu Onnoghen today. He will be the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).
The Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) had forwarded the name of Onnoghen to the NJC. The NJC had further recommended him to the president. This is going by precedent that the most senior justice has been appointed CJN
According to Section 230 (4) of the Constitution, “If the office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria is vacant or if the person holding the office is for any reason unable to perform the functions of the office, then until a person has been appointed to and has assumed the functions of that office, or until the person holding the office has resumed those functions, the president shall appoint the most senior justice of the Supreme Court to perform those functions.”
Onnoghen Takes Over
Justice Walter Nkanu Onnoghen will succeed the outgoing CJN, Justice Mahmud Muhammed, as his tenure ended 12am today. He would be sworn in inside the Council Chambers of the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja at 2.00pm.
Meanwhile, the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters yesterday screened Justices Sidi Dauda Bage (North-Central) and Paul Adamu Galinje (North-East) as justices of the Supreme Court.
