At Last, Cross Riverian Takes Over As Chief Justice Of Nigeria

By CrossRiverWatch Admin

All is now set for the inauguration of Cross River state born Justice Walter Onnoghen as the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, CrossRiverWatch has learnt.

The inauguration willl be done by President Muhammadu Buhari today, (Thursday) at 2pm inside the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Watchers had express worry that hours to the exit of the incumbent CJN, Justice Mahmoud Mohammed who has attained the mandatory retirement age of 70, the President has not sent a replacement to the Senate for confirmation, sparking fears that a vacuum will be created in the judiciary.

The National Judicial Council had earlier forwarded the name of Justice Onnoghen who is the most senior Supreme Court Judge as well as those of Justice Tanko Mohammed and Justice Suleiman Galadima to the President to pick any of the three justices as the new CJN.

According to the law, the President is expected to forward the name of whoever he chooses to the Senate for confirmation.

Having failed to meet that requirement and to avoid living a vacuum in the judiciary, Justice Onnogehn will for the first time in the history of the country be inaugurated in acting capacity as CJN pending confirmation by the Senate. But under our Constitution, a person can hold the office of the CJN in acting capacity only for three months.

Meanwhile, a valedictory court session in honor of the outgoing Justice Mahmoud Mohammed is also scheduled to hold at the Supreme Court complex at 10am on Thursday (Thursday).

Justice Onnoghen was born on December 20, 1950 and he is from Biase Local Government Area of Cross Rivers State. If the President approves his appointment, he will become the first judge from the southern part of the country to head the judiciary in about 29 years and will be Nigeria’s 17th CJN.