NJC recommends Justice Kekere-Ekun as CJN, 28 others as Judges of diverse Courts

• As Oduduwa group petition Code of Conduct Bureau/Tribunal over alleged false declarations and unverified statements by CJN-Designate

The National Judicial Council has recommended Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun to be the next Chief Justice of Nigeria.

The recommendation was made in an impromptu closed-door meeting initially slated for Friday but brought forward to Thursday in Abuja.

The NJC also made recommendations for 27 others as judges of the state high court in the meeting, which is still ongoing.

A Thursday 15 August statement signed by Soji Oye, Esq., NJC’s Director, Information announced the appointments. Read the full text below.

The National Judicial Council at its 106^th 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.

This is imperative as Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, GCON, will formally bow out of office as the Hon. Chief Justice of Nigeria next week Thursday on 22 August 2024.

Council also recommend twenty-seven (27) candidates for appointment as Judges of States Courts and a candidate for appointment as Kadi of the Sharia Court of the FCT, Abuja to their various State Governors and Mr. President as follows:

CHIEF JUSTICE OF NIGERIA

1. Hon. Justice Kudirat Motonmori Kekere-Ekun, CFR

SIX JUDGES, HIGH COURT OF KWARA STATE

1. Olawoyin, Ibijoke Olabisi
2. Abdulrazaq, Fatimah Funsho
3. Folorunsho, Oba Muritala
4. Dikko, Yusuf Adebayo
5. Adeniyi, Oluwatosin Adenike
6. Osuolale-Ajayi, Temitope Olalekan

ONE JUDGE, HIGH COURT OF KADUNA STATE

1. Zubairu, Murtala Ja’afaru

FOUR JUDGES, HIGH COURT OF BENUE STATE

1. Kor, Vincent Tersoo
2. Ikwulono, Maigida Maimuna
3. Adagba, Nguhemen Julie
4. Tor, Damian Tersugh

TWO JUDGES, CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL, BENUE STATE

1. Onche, Ogah Inalegwu
2. Igba, Theophilus Terhile

EIGHT JUDGES, HIGH COURT OF RIVERS STATE

1. Onyiri, Frank
2. Ugoji, Victor Chinedum
3. Obomanu, Godswill Vidal
4. Oguguo, Rita Chituru
5. Fubara, Alatuwo Elkanah
6. Kokpan, Bariyima Sylvester
7. Obu, Ibietela Innocent Madighi
8. Wifa-Adedipe, Lesi

SIX JUDGES, HIGH COURT OF ONDO STATE

1. Daomi, Williams Adebisi
2. Fabuluje, Adewumi William
3. Ogunwumiju, Mobayonle Idowu
4. Demehin-Ogunbayo, Inumidun Happiness
5. Kpemi, Ojufisintei Justinah
6. Adegoroye, Olufunke Adeola

ONE KADI, SHARIA COURT OF APPEAL, FCT ABUJA

1. 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.

Meanwhile a group known as Oduduwa Descendants Coalition for Justice has dragged the CJN-designate to the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal over allegations bordering on the non-declaration and false declaration in the forms she submitted to the anti-graft body at various times.

In the petition dated the 10th of August, 2024 and signed by the National Coordinator, Comrade. Kehinde Johnson Olawale, the group alleged that “as a Judicial officer, Hon. Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun failed or refused to abide by the provisions of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, which has been in force since 1991. For example, in May 1999, at the end of her tenure as Chairman of the Robbery and Firearms Tribunal, Ikeja Zone ll Lagos, she failed to submit her assets declaration.”

Olawale equally stated that “in 2013, at the end of her tenure as a Justice of the Court of Appeal Nigeria, she failed to submit her assets declaration form. The assets declaration form she eventually filled and submitted upon assumption of office as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria contained false declarations and unverified statements”.

In the concluding part of the petition, the group advised the anti-graft agency that “the report of your investigation will assist the National Judicial Council and the Senate of the Nigerian National Assembly to come to a balanced decision as to the suitability of Hon. Justice Kekere-Ekun for appointment as Chief Justice of Nigeria.”

The petition which was received by the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau on the 12th of August 2024, was sighted by this reporter.

The Chairman of the National Judicial Commission, Senate President and Attorney General of the Federation were all copied.

When contacted, a staff of the Intelligence, Investigation and Monitoring Department of the anti-graft agency who pleaded anonymity, said that the usual practice was that the Chairman of the Bureau would request the public officer against whom the petition was written to offer an explanation in writing in response to the allegations made out in the petition.

If truly there is no infraction of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, the petition will be dismissed. But, if after investigation a prima facie case is established, the matter will be referred to the Code of Conduct Tribunal for prosecution of the accused.

He referred to the similar case of a former Chief Justice of Nigeria Hon. Justice Walter Onnoghen, who was investigated and prosecuted by the Code of Conduct Bureau.