The Senate has officially commenced the screening of Honourable Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun for the position of Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN). This event unfolded on Wednesday following a motion by Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) to reorder the day’s legislative agenda, allowing Kekere-Ekun’s screening to be addressed first.
Justice Kekere-Ekun arrived at the Senate Chamber at 12:30 PM, accompanied by other Justices from the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal. Senator Bamidele invoked Order 12 of the Senate Standing Orders to permit her and the accompanying dignitaries to enter the Chamber, a motion that was seconded by Deputy Minority Leader Senator Oyewumi Olalere (PDP, Osun West). She was led in by Senator Basheer Lado, Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters.
Earlier, President Bola Tinubu submitted a letter to the Senate seeking the confirmation of Justice Kekere-Ekun as CJN. The letter, read by Senate President Senator Godswill Akpabio, referenced Section 231(1) of the Constitution, which grants the President the authority to appoint the CJN based on recommendations from the National Judicial Commission (NJC), subject to Senate confirmation.
In his correspondence, President Tinubu expressed hope for a swift and favorable consideration of Kekere-Ekun’s nomination, emphasizing the importance of the judiciary’s role in upholding justice in Nigeria.
Notably, Justice Kekere-Ekun had been sworn in as the 23rd Chief Justice of Nigeria on August 23, 2024, by President Tinubu at the State House in Abuja