ABUJA – The National Judicial Council, NJC, at the end of an emergency meeting it held in Abuja on Wednesday, re-nominated Justice Walter Onnoghen for appointment as the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN.

NJC forwarded its resolution at the meeting to the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo, SAN, barely 24 hours after Onnoghen’s name was reportedly transmitted to the Senate for confirmation by the Presidency.

The Council took the action in view of the fact that it may be impossible for the Senate which is currently on recess, to reconvene and screen Onnoghen before Friday when his constitutional three months tenure as Acting CJN would expire.

Consequently, in line with section 231(5) of the 1999 constitution, as amended, NJC, urged the Acting President to extend Onnoghen’s acting tenure for another three months.

Though Onnoghen is statutorily the Chairman of the NJC, a source at the meeting which was held in camera, told Vanguard that the extension letter sent to the Presidency was signed by Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad.

Justice Muhammad is the second highest ranking jurist at the Supreme Court.

Insinuations were rife that he was President Muhammadu Buhari’s first choice for the CJN position.

However, the source who pleaded anonymity because he was not permitted to speak on behalf of the NJC, said Justice Muhammadu was favourably disposed to Onnoghen who is currently the most senior Justice of the apex court, clinching the judiciary top-job.

“All the NJC members that attended the meeting were unanimous in the decision to re-nominate Justice Onnoghen. We have already forwarded the letter to the Presidency”, the source added.

According to section 231(5) of the 1999 constitution, as amended, “Except on the recommendation of the NJC”, Onnoghen’s appointment by President Buhari “shall cease to have effect after the expiration of three months from the date of such appointment, and the President shall not re-appoint a person whose appointment has elapsed”.

Onnoghen who is from Cross River State is the first Southern jurist to qualify for the CJN position in about 30 years.

President Buhari had on November 10, 2016, okayed him to head the judiciary in acting capacity.

The appointment which was based on recommendation letter from the NJC, followed retirement of former CJN, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, who bowed out upon clocking the 70 years mandatory retirement age.

Onnoghen will clock 70 on December 20, 2020. He was elevated into the apex court bench in 2005.

Delay by President Buhari to forward Onnoghen’s name to the Senate till few days to expiration o his three months acting ‎tenure had fuelled insinuations that he could be sidelined from emerging as the substantive CJN.

Justice Ayo Gabriel Irikefe who held sway as the CJN in 1985, was the last Southerner that headed the apex court.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/02/breaking-njc-extends-onnoghens-acting-tenure-writes-osibanjo/

Going by seniority rule and age of retirement, Justice Tanko Muhammed will take over from Justice Walter Onnoghen in 2020 and hand over to justice Kekere Ekun from Lagos State in 2023 and justice Kudirat Kekere Ekun will serve till 2028.

You can do the calculations using the link below

http://supremecourt.gov.ng/profile/justices

Nice one

FG should go ahead and confirm this man

He has paid the price of serving his father land

Na them sabi

bankyblue:
T

T for what ?

kahal29:

Op ?

Onoghen will decide d next election case, better

They should just confirm this Man! First time it's falling on a southerner after 30 years.

If the Senate can not reconvene to screen and confirm him , why extend his acting capacity for 3more months?

Why not extend the acting capacity until late the Senate is back from recesse ?

These northerners are just too desperate

Ok

Lol na wa

nairaland people no dey give me space to comment again





we should pray for buhari

These guys are mad ooooooo

Season of extension

Extended Vacation

Extended Recession

Extended Suffering..

End Time Extension

This is where we 'll know if Osinbajo is just another Shonekan or not. He has the full presidential power pending the time his incapacitated boss is bundled back to Nigeria. All eyes are on him and posterity will judge him right should he fail to do the right thing.

Nice move NJC, nice move Ag Osibanjo. The three arm of government needs to be in homology,

with the heRdman as the president(that is if LAI were telling the truth) afonja as head of judiciary and that aboki boi saraki as president of the senate...Otherwise

I weep for niGeria

all I want to know is when this recession gonna end

The northerners have positioned themselves to occupy the CJN seat, its a calculated step.

Lol

Good.

Osinbajo I know. Who the heck is Osinbanjo?

30 ltrs of palm oil is now going down to #8000, what is happening? Who wants Buhari back again?

kahal29:
Going by seniority rule and age of retirement, Justice Tanko Muhammed will take over from Justice Walter Onnoghen in 2020 and hand over to justice Kekere Ekun from Lagos State in 2023 and justice Kudirat Kekere Ekun will serve till 2028.

You can do the calculations using the link below

http://supremecourt.gov.ng/profile/justices

That is a limitation of this forced seniority system.

agabusta:


That is a limitation of this forced seniority system.

We should go the American way abeg.

Mr. Ag. President ,pls kindly extend his tenure as NJC has requested.

What are the Senators doing on recess?

kahal29:
Going by seniority rule and age of retirement, Justice Tanko Muhammed will take over from Justice Walter Onnoghen in 2020 and hand over to justice Kekere Ekun from Lagos State in 2023 and justice Kudirat Kekere Ekun will serve till 2028.

You can do the calculations using the link below

http://supremecourt.gov.ng/profile/justices

Assuming your calculations are correct, I help you add "All things being equal". Unforseen factors like death can deal your calculations big blow.

Country on auto-pilot!