By Jonathan Ugbal
Justice Walter Onnoghen
The Nigerian Senate may on Wednesday during plenary, confirm Justice Walter Onnoghen as the substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria CrossRiverWatch findings reveal.
Justice Onnoghen was appointed in acting capacity on November 10, 2016 by Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari following the retirement of former CJN, Justice Mahmoud Mohammed after attaining 70 years of age.
The delay in transmitting Justice Onnoghen’s name to the Senate for confirmation as stipulated in section 231 of the constitution drew criticism from several angles which the Presidency always repudiated.
However, CrossRiverWatch gathered that acting President Yemi Osinbajo forwarded Justice Onnoghen’s name to the Senate a few days to the expiry of his 90 day acting tenure and with the Senate on recess, was not confirmed but continued in acting capacity.
Sources at the Three Arms zone say Justice Onnoghen’s confirmation is included in the matters to be debated at Wednesday’s plenary.
Justice Onnoghen who hails from Biase in Cross River State if confirmed, will become the first CJN of southern extraction in 3 decades.