President Bola Tinubu has returned to Nigeria after a three-day working visit to France. His aircraft, an Airbus A330, landed at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at approximately 2:25 am on Friday.
The President’s trip was cut short to ensure his presence at the swearing-in of the new Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, at the State House Council Chambers.
The initial reason and duration of the visit to France were not disclosed, but a statement from the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, clarified that Tinubu would return to Nigeria following a “brief work stay” in France.
On Thursday, in a statement expressing the President’s gratitude to the outgoing Chief Justice, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, Ngelale confirmed that President Tinubu would “swear in Justice Kekere-Ekun at the State House Council Chambers on August 23, 2024.”
Justice Kekere-Ekun’s nomination as the new Chief Justice came after the National Judicial Council (NJC), during its 106th meeting on August 15, recommended her to President Tinubu to succeed Justice Ariwoola.
Announcing the decision, the NJC said, “The NJC, at its 106th meeting presided over by Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, who bows out today, recommended Justice Kekere-Ekun to President Bola Tinubu for appointment as the CJN.”
Justice Kekere-Ekun, the most senior Justice of the Supreme Court, will initially serve as the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria pending Senate confirmation. At 66, she is expected to serve until her retirement in 2028.
Reflecting on Justice Ariwoola’s tenure, President Tinubu praised his over three decades of service, calling it a “successful public service career” and commending him for his contributions to the nation.
Ariwoola, who was sworn in as Chief Justice in 2022, has served in various capacities, including as a Justice of the Court of Appeal in Kaduna, Enugu, and Lagos divisions before his elevation to the Supreme Court in 2011.
Justice Kekere-Ekun is set to take the oath of office at 11 am on Friday.
