Justice Kayode Ariwoola Gets Senate’s Nod As CJN
BY EDMOND ODOK – After waiting on the wings for about three months, Hon Justice Olukayode Ariwoola has been formally confirmed as the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) by the Nigerian Senate.
At the resumption of plenary on Wednesday, Senate Minority Leader, Senator Ibrahim Gobir, moved two motions for the upper legislative chamber to screen and confirm Justice Ariwoola for the esteemed position as Nigeria’s number one judicial officer.
With a voice vote, Senator Gobir’s motions were approved by the lawmakers when the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan put them up for consideration.
Thereafter, the Senate President called for the screening exercise by the ‘Committee of the Whole” to be moved forward from where it was listed on the order paper for the day’s business.
Accordingly, Justice Ariwoola, accompanied by all Supreme Court Justices, President of the Courts of Appeal, President of the Federal High Court, President of the National Industrial Court (NIC), and Secretary of the National Judicial Council (NJC) walked into the chambers and took their seats for the commencement of the exercise.
The delegation was led by the Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Babajide Omoworare. During the screening session, Justice Ariwoola responded to questions posed to him by Senators.
Among the Senators who asked questions were Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege; Minority Leader of the Senate, Senator Philip Aduda; Chairman of Senate Committee on Judiciary and Legal Matters, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele; Senator Gabriel Suswam; and Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah.
At exactly 12:45 pm, the lawmakers requested the acting CJN to take a bow and go “having sufficiently responded to questions posed to him.”
In his remarks, Senate President Ahmad Lawan said being the will of the Senators that the acting CJN should take a bow, he was bound by their decision even if it was different from his personal opinion.
Born 22 August 1954, Hon Justice Olukayode Ariwoola was formerly a Justice of the Nigerian Courts of Appeal and on November 22, 2011, was appointed to the bench of the Supreme Court of Nigeria as Justice.
He was appointed as Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria on 27 June 2022 following the resignation of immediate past CJN, Hon Justice Tanko Muhammad after 14 justices of the apex court accused him of abandoning his responsibilities as the leader of the court.
In July 2022, President Muhammadu Buhari asked the senate to confirm the appointment of Ariwoola as CJN, saying; “Pursuant to section 231 (1) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended; I forward for confirmation by the Senate of Honourable Justice Olukayode Ariwoola as the Chief Justice of Nigeria”.
