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.
Soji Oye, Esq., Director of Information, said this in a statement on Thursday, 15th August 2024.
The recommendation comes as Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, GCON, is set to formally bow out of office as the Hon. Chief Justice of Nigeria next week Thursday on 22 August 2024. This makes the appointment of a new Chief Justice imperative to ensure a smooth transition and maintain the stability of the judiciary.
In addition to recommending Hon. Justice Kekere-Ekun for the position of Chief Justice, the Council also recommended twenty-seven (27) candidates for appointment as Judges of State Courts and one candidate for appointment as Kadi of the Sharia Court of the FCT, Abuja. These recommendations have been forwarded to their respective State Governors and President Tinubu for approval and subsequent appointment.
The full list of recommended candidates is as follows:
CHIEF JUSTICE OF NIGERIA
- Hon. Justice Kudirat Motonmori Kekere-Ekun, CFR
SIX JUDGES, HIGH COURT OF KWARA STATE
- Olawoyin, Ibijoke Olabisi
- Abdulrazaq, Fatimah Funsho
- Folorunsho, Oba Muritala
- Dikko, Yusuf Adebayo
- Adeniyi, Oluwatosin Adenike
- Osuolale-Ajayi, Temitope Olalekan
ONE JUDGE, HIGH COURT OF KADUNA STATE
- Zubairu, Murtala Ja’afaru
FOUR JUDGES, HIGH COURT OF BENUE STATE
- Kor, Vincent Tersoo
- Ikwulono, Maigida Maimuna
- Adagba, Nguhemen Julie
- Tor, Damian Tersugh
TWO JUDGES, CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL, BENUE STATE
- Onche, Ogah Inalegwu
- Igba, Theophilus Terhile
EIGHT JUDGES, HIGH COURT OF RIVERS STATE
- Onyiri, Frank
- Ugoji, Victor Chinedum
- Obomanu, Godswill Vidal
- Oguguo, Rita Chituru
- Fubara, Alatuwo Elkanah
- Kokpan, Bariyima Sylvester
- Obu, Ibietela Innocent Madighi
- Wifa-Adedipe, Lesi
SIX JUDGES, HIGH COURT OF ONDO STATE
- Daomi, Williams Adebisi
- Fabuluje, Adewumi William
- Ogunwumiju, Mobayonle Idowu
- Demehin-Ogunbayo, Inumidun Happiness
- Kpemi, Ojufisintei Justinah
- Adegoroye, Olufunke Adeola
ONE KADI, SHARIA COURT OF APPEAL, FCT ABUJA
- Muhammad, Lawal Munir
All recommended candidates are expected to be sworn-in after the approval of the NJC recommendations to the President and their respective State Governors.
Credit: The Nigeria Lawyer