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As the most senior Jurist in the Supreme Court, the National Judicial Council (NJC), on Thursday, recommended Justice Kudirat Motonmori Kekere-Ekun to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to succeed Justice Olukayode Ariwoola as the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).
Ariwoola is due for retirement on August 22.
Disclosing this in a statement on Thursday, NJC spokesman, Soji Oye, said the decision was taken following the Council’s 106th Meeting presided over by 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.
“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, 22 August 2024,” the statement read.
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.
Already, the Supreme Court currently has the full complement of 21 Justices.
The NJC also “recommended twenty-seven (27) candidates for appointment as Judges of States Courts and a candidate for appointment as Khadi of the Sharia Court of the FCT, Abuja to their various State Governors and Mr. President.”