President Bola Tinubu has hurriedly sworn in Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun as the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria. This sudden appointment comes while the country awaits the Senate’s nod of approval.
Tinubu’s unexpected decision followed his abrupt return to Abuja after a so-called “brief work visit” to France. The President, who had jetted off to France on Monday, cut his trip short and landed at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport early Friday morning, just in time to install the new Chief Justice at the Council Chambers of the State House.
Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, the newly minted Acting Chief Justice, took her oath of office in Abuja on August 23, 2024. This swift transition follows the retirement of Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, who reached the mandatory retirement age of 70 and bowed out on Thursday.
Meanwhile, President Tinubu’s media aide, Ajuri Ngelale, couldn’t help but praise Ariwoola’s “successful public service career”. Ariwoola, a seasoned jurist, has had an extensive career, serving in the Kaduna, Enugu, and Lagos divisions of the Court of Appeal before his elevation to the Supreme Court in 2011. He was appointed as the Chief Justice of Nigeria on September 21, 2022, by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
This controversial switch didn’t come out of nowhere. The National Judicial Council (NJC) had just last week recommended Justice Kekere-Ekun for the top judiciary spot. NJC spokesman, Soji Oye, disclosed this after the Council’s 106th meeting, chaired by none other than Justice Ariwoola himself.
According to the NJC, the recommendation was a necessary move, given Ariwoola’s impending retirement. But skeptics might wonder if this hasty transition is about maintaining continuity or consolidating control.
For those who don’t know, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun is no newcomer to the judiciary. Born on May 7, 1958, this 66-year-old trailblazer earned her law degree from the University of Lagos and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1981. Her journey didn’t stop there, she bagged an LL.M. from the prestigious London School of Economics in 1983.
Justice Kekere-Ekun has served in various capacities, starting her career in private practice before moving into the judiciary. She climbed the ranks from Senior Magistrate Grade II to Judge of the High Court of Lagos State, and eventually, to the Court of Appeal in 2004. Her impressive credentials culminated in her appointment to the Supreme Court of Nigeria on July 8, 2013, making her the fifth female Justice in the country’s highest court.
Not just a legal luminary, she is also a life Bencher and currently serves as President of the International Association of Women Judges. On the personal front, she is happily married with children.
As Nigerians wait for the Senate’s final decision, the rush to swear in Justice Kekere-Ekun raises questions about the President’s motives and the NJC’s swift recommendation.
