Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun confirmed as Chief Justice of Nigeria.
In a historic move, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun has been confirmed as the new Chief Justice of Nigeria by the Senate.
She becomes the 23rd person to hold this prestigious position and only the second female to do so.
President Bola Tinubu nominated Justice Kekere-Ekun for the role, which was met with approval by the Senate led by President Godswill Akpabio. Despite the unusual step of suspending its rules, the Senate allowed her to answer questions during the confirmation hearing.
During the rigorous screening process, Justice Kekere-Ekun emphasized the importance of upholding judicial integrity and ethical standards. She advocated for a more efficient judicial system, suggesting that pre-election matters should not always reach the Supreme Court, but should be resolved at the Court of Appeal.
Furthermore, Justice Kekere-Ekun called for timely handling of petitions by the National Judicial Council and stressed the need to safeguard the independence of the judiciary from external influences.
After facing nearly three hours of questioning, the Senate voted in favour of her confirmation, solidifying her position as the new Chief Justice of Nigeria.
Prior to this appointment, Justice Kekere-Ekun had been serving as acting CJN since August 23, following the retirement of Justice Kayode Ariwoola.
With her extensive experience as a Supreme Court Justice since 2013, Justice Kekere-Ekun is poised to make significant contributions to Nigeria’s judiciary in her new role as Chief Justice.
