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).
NJC’s spokesman, Soji Oye, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday.
Kekere-Ekun joined the Lagos State Judiciary as Senior Magistrate II and rose to the position of the State High Court Judge.
She served as Chairman of Robbery and Firearms Tribunal, Zone II, Ikeja between November 1996 to May 1999.
She was appointed to the bench of the Nigerian courts of appeal in 2004 before her appointment as Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in July 2013.
Oye said the decision to appoint Kekere-Ekun was taken following the Council’s 106th meeting presided over by the outgoing CJN, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.
He said the meeting was held on August 14 and 15 in Abuja, just seven days before the retirement of Justice Ariwoola as the CJN.
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Justice Olukayode Ariwoola was appointed as the CJN on September 21, 2022 by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
He is billed to bow out on August 22, when he will attain the mandatory retirement age of 70.
The statement read: “The NJC also “recommend twenty-seven (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 and Mr. President.”
“NJC recommends Hon. Justice Kudirat Motonmori Kekere-Ekun, CFR as the Hon. Chief Justice of Nigeria and Twenty-eight (28) others as Judges of various Courts
“The National Judicial Council at its 106th Meeting presided over by the Hon. Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, GCON, held on 14 & 15 August 2024, recommended Hon. Justice Kudirat Motonmori Kekere-Ekun, CFR, to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for appointment as the Chief Justice of Nigeria.
“This is imperative as Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, GCON, will formally bow out of office as the Hon. Chief Justice of Nigeria next week Thursday on 22 August 2024.
“Council also recommend twenty-seven (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 and Mr. President…”
