The Senate is set to conduct a crucial screening of the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, today (Wednesday) as part of the process to confirm her as the substantive Chief Justice of the Federation.
This follows the receipt of a formal request from President Bola Tinubu, urging the upper chamber to confirm Kekere-Ekun’s appointment. The letter from the president was read during Tuesday’s plenary session by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Justice Kekere-Ekun has been serving as the acting Chief Justice since August, following the retirement of her predecessor, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola. President Tinubu had sworn her in on an interim basis pending the Senate’s confirmation.
If confirmed, Justice Kekere-Ekun will become the 23rd substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria and only the second woman to hold the office in the nation’s judicial history. The nomination has been forwarded to the Committee of the Whole for deliberation, with a decision expected by the end of the day.
Kekere-Ekun’s confirmation would mark a significant moment for the judiciary, reaffirming Nigeria’s gradual strides towards greater gender representation at its highest levels of public office.
