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President Bola Tinubu has sworn in Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun as the 23rd Chief Justice of Nigeria, pending her confirmation by the Senate.
Kekere-Ekun took the oath of office and signed the oath register at 11.40 am at the Council Chamber of the State House, Abuja on Friday.
She succeeds Ariwoola, who assumed office on June 27, 2022, and bowed out on Thursday, upon attaining the mandatory retirement age of 70 years.
She 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, 2024
Justice Kekere-Ekun, is the second Nigerian female jurist to serve as the Chief Justice of Nigeria, after Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, who was the Chief Justice of Nigeria from July 2012 and November, 2014.
Among those who witnessed the event were other Justices of the nation’s apex Court; the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio; the leadership of the House of Representatives, represented by House Leader, Hon Julius Ihonbvere; the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwoolu; and immediate past Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.
Also present at were the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume; National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu; Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.
