Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, is set to send the name of the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice
Walter Onnoghen, to the National Assembly for confirmation as the
substantive CJN, The PUNCH has learnt.

Buhari had, on November 10, 2016, inaugurated Onnoghen as acting CJN following the retirement of Justice Mahmud Mohammed at the attainment of the mandatory 70-year retirement age.

National Judicial Council had
earlier forwarded Onnoghen’s name
to the President to be named the
new CJN based on the
recommendation of the Federal
Judicial Service Commission.
According to the law, the President is
expected to forward the name of the
nominee to the Senate for
confirmation.
There have been speculations that
Buhari is not ready to send the name
of Onnoghen to the Senate for
confirmation.
But one of our correspondents
learnt, on Tuesday, that Osinbajo was
set to send Onnoghen’s name to the
Senate this week to beat the
February 10 date, which the Supreme
Court’s Justice acting appointment is
expected to expire.
A source familiar with the
arrangement said the nomination
would be sent to the Senate on
Tuesday or Wednesday (today).
“I can confirm to you that
Onnoghen’s name will be sent to the
Senate this week. The name will be
sent today (Tuesday) or Wednesday
before February 10 that his acting
appointment will expire,” the source
stated.
When asked what was responsible
for the delay in sending his name
since he was recommended, the
source said the government had
been busy carrying out background
check on him following the recent
searchlight on the judiciary.
“We are all witnesses to the recent
discoveries in the judiciary. The
government needs to be sure that
whoever is going to be put at the
head of that arm of government has
a clean bill of health.
“The background checks have been
concluded and the government is
satisfied with its findings,” the
source added.
There are, however, fears that the
Senate may not consider
Onnoghen’s nomination
immediately as the National
Assembly is currently on recess to
allow committee’s work on the 2017
Appropriation Bill currently before
the lawmakers.
The Senior Special Assistant to the
Acting President on Media and
Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande, declined
comment on the matter.
If his nomination is confirmed as the
nation’s 17th CJN, Onnoghen, who
hails from Cross River State, will
become the first southern justice to
head the judiciary in about 30 years.
Justice Ayo Gabriel Irikefe, who
retired in 1987, was the last southern
CJN.
Earlier on Tuesday, some indigenes
of Cross River State, under the aegis
of Cross River State Elders Forum,
appealed to Buhari to promptly send
the name of Onnoghen’s name to
the Senate for confirmation as the
substantive CJN.
Addressing journalists in Abuja,
leader of the group, Mr. Lawrence
Alobi, a former Commissioner of
Police in the Federal Capital
Territory, appealed to the President
to comply with Section 231(1) of the
Constitution by sending Onnoghen’s
name to the Senate for confirmation.
Noting that nobody from the
southern part of the country had
occupied the office of the CJN for the
past 30 years, Alobi said the non-
confirmation of Onnoghen since
November, when he was made the
acting CJN, had started igniting
suspicion and concerns.
He stated, “However, the President
has not forwarded his name to the
Senate as provided under Section
231(1) of the 1999 Nigerian
Constitution (as amended), and
Justice Onnoghen has been acting
for almost three months.
“This has concomitantly raised
suspicion and great concern among
most Nigerians, bearing in mind that
for the past 30 years, no southerner
has been appointed as CJN, which is
contrary to principle of equity and
fairness.
“In fact, the issue of the
constitutionality of the appointment
of Justice Walter Onnoghen as the
substantive CJN has generated a lot
of controversy across our political
spectrum, which of course, is not
healthy for the stability of the
nation.
“We therefore humbly and
passionately appeal that the
President and Acting President, as a
matter of urgent national
importance, should do the needful
and forward Justice Onnoghen’s
name to the Senate for confirmation
as the substantive CJN in compliance
with Section 231(1) of the1999
Constitution (as amended).”
Copyright PUNCH.

http://punchng.com/cjn-osinbajo-set-send-onnoghens-name-senate/

He cannot. Them no born am well. Did Buhari and his cabalocractic friends give him permission/nod/go head to do so. Onnoghen's name been sent to senate for confirmation na just mere speculation till Buhari comes back