Process to select new Chief Justice of Nigeria begins

 

Barely one month to the expiration of the tenure of the incumbent Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mahmud Mohammed, the Federal Judicial Service Council, FJSC, on Wednesday October 5, 2016, forwarded names of three most senior Justices of the Supreme Court to the National Judicial Council, NJC, for consideration.
They are Justices Walter Onnoghen (who is currently next to Mohammed), Ibrahim Muhammad and Suleiman Galadima.
The NJC is required to consider the three names sent by the FJSC and recommend one of them to President Muhammadu Buhari for appointment before the expiration of the incumbent CJN’s tenure on November 10, 2016.
The NJC is headed by the incumbent CJN.
Onnoghen is likely to emerge in respect of the tradition of allowing the most senior Justice to succeed a departing CJN.

Justice Mahmud, was born on November 10, 1946, and will attain the mandatory retirement age of 70 years on November 10.
Justice Onnoghen was born in 1950 at Okurike, Biase Local Government Area of Cross Rivers State, and elevated to the Supreme Court bench in 2005.
Justice Muhammad, born on December 31, 1953 at Doguwa-Giade, Giade Local Government Area of Bauchi State, was appointed to the apex court bench on January 7, 2007.
Justice Galadima, born on October in 1946 in Nasarawa State, was appointed a Justice of the Supreme Court in 2010.