Justice Onnoghen To Become Next Chief Justice Of Nigeria

SAN FRANCISCO, September 18, (THEWILL) – The Federal Judicial Service Commission, FJSC, has nominated Justice Walter Nkanu Onnoghen as the next Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).

Onnoghen who is presently the most senior Justice of the Supreme Court, was nominated to take over from Justice Mahmud Mohammed, the current CJN, who will step down on November 10 , when he clocks the 70 years mandatory retirement age.

The FJSC, last week, forwarded Onnoghen's name to the National Judicial Council, NJC, which will in turn, forward same to President Muhammadu Buhari who would then recommend the name subject to confirmation by the Senate according to section 231(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

Furthermore, section 231(3) stipulates that a person shall not be qualified to hold the office of the CJN or of a Justice of the Supreme Court, unless he is qualified to practise as a legal practitioner in Nigeria and had been so qualified for a period of not less than fifteen years.

Onnoghen, when approved as the 17th CJN, will become the first Southern jurist to head the judiciary in about 29 years after the last Southern CJN, Justice Ayo Gabriel Irikefe who retired in 1987.

Onnoghen, who hails from Cross-River State will clock 70 on December 20, 2020 .

Story by David Oputah