President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, has sworn in Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun as the 23rd Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).
Justice Kekere-Ekun was formally sworn in about 11:38 am and took her rightful sitting position in the Council Chambers on the left-hand side of the President at exactly 11:45 am.
Justice Kekere-Ekun is assuming her new role as CJN following the retirement of her predecessor, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, and her nomination and presentation to President Tinubu by the National Judicial Council (NJC) on August 15.
With this, she became the second female jurist to serve as the Chief Justice of Nigeria, after Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, who held briefs between July 2012 and November 2014. She will operate in an acting capacity until she is confirmed by the Senate.
Among those who witnessed the event were other Justices of the Supreme Court; president of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio; leadership of the House of Representatives, represented by Prof Julius Ihonbvere; Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwoolu and the immediate past Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Ariwoola, amongst others.
