ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – The National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended Justice Kudirat Adetokunbo Kekere-Ekun to President Bola Tinubu for appointment as the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).

The incumbent CJN, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, will formally bow out of office on Thursday next week, August 22, 2024.

If approved by President Tinubu, Justice Kekere-Ekun would be the second female Chief Justice of Nigeria coming after Justice Mouktar Aloma as the first female CJN.

Besides, the Council also recommended 28 candidates for appointment as judges of states courts and a candidate for appointment as Kadi of the Sharia Court of the FCT, Abujan to their various state governors

The recommendation was made by the NJC at its 106th meeting on August 14 and 15, presided over by the outgoing CJN, Justice Ariwoola.

A statement by the NJC’s director of information, Mr Soji Oye, yesterday in Abuja contained the recommendations.

At the meeting, six candidates were recommended to Kwara State Governor for appointment as judges of the High Court in the state.

They are Olawoyin Ibijoke Olabisi, Abdulrazaq Fatimah Funsho, Folorunsho Oba Muritala, Dikko Yusuf Adebayo, Adeniyi Oluwatosin Adenike and Osuolale-Ajayi  Temitope Olalekan

Rivers State has eight candidates for appointments into its high court and they are Onyiri Frank, Ugoji Victor Chinedum, Obomanu Godswill Vidal, Oguguo Rita Chituru, Fubara Alatuwo Elkanah, Kokpan Bariyima Sylvester, Obu Ibietela Innocent Madighi and Wifa-Adedipe Lesi. Ondo State has six nominees and they are Daomi Williams Adebisi, Fabuluje Adewumi William, Ogunwumiju Mobayonle Idowu, Demehin-Ogunbayo Inumidun Happiness, Kpemi Ojufisintei Justinah and

Adegoroye Olufunke Adeola.

Benue Judiciary has recommended four candidates as judges and they comprised Kor Vincent Tersoo, Ikwulono Maigida Maimuna,  Adagba Nguhemen Julie and Tor Damian Tersugh.

In addition, the Council forwarded two nominees for appointment as judges of Benue State Customary Court of Appeal and they are Onche Ogah Inalegwu and Igba Theophilus Terhile.

The NJC nominated one candidate, Zubairu Murtala Ja’afaru, for Kaduna State High Court 

Muhammad Lawal Munir was nominated as a Kadi for the Federal Capital Territory Sharia Court of Appeal.

According to the statement, all recommended candidates are to be sworn-in after the approval by the President and their respective state governors.

Born on May 7, 1958,  Justice Kekere-Ekun has spent 11 years on the bench of the apex court after her appointment as the fifth female Justice of the court on July 8, 2013.

She obtained her LL.B in 1980 from the University of Lagos and LL.M from the London School of Economics and Political Science in November 1983. She was called to the Nigerian Bar on July 10, 1981.

From 1985 to 1989, she was in private practice and was later appointed a Senior Magistrate Grade II, Lagos State Judiciary in December 1989.

She was appointed a judge of the High Court of Lagos State on July 19, 1996. She served as the chairman of the Robbery and Firearms Tribunal, Zone II, Ikeja, Lagos, from November 1996 to May 1999.

On September 22, 2004, she was elevated to the Court of Appeal, where she served in various Divisions and as the presiding justice of two Divisions of the appellate court (Makurdi and Aku) in 2011 and 2012, respectively.

She was elevated to the Supreme Court of Nigeria as the fifth female justice of the apex court and was sworn in on Monday, July 8, 2013.

A life bencher and President of the International Association of Women Judges, Justice Kekere-Ekun has attended numerous courses and seminars within and outside Nigeria and received several merit awards.