The Senate on Wednesday confirmed the appointment of Justice Kayode Ariwoola as the substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria.
The senate at a screening exercise on Wednesday stamped the appointment which was made by President Muhammadu Buhari on June 26, 2022, after the resignation of the former Chief Justice, Muhammdu Tanko.
Ariwoola was confirmed at about 12:55 after about an hour of drilling and questioning by the senate.
He was later asked to take a bow.
The motion for his screening was moved by the Senate Leader, Senator Ibrahim Gobir, at the plenary at 11:35 am.
The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, had called for the screening exercise to be moved forward from where it was listed on the order paper.
Gobir moved that the Senate resolve into the Committee of the Whole to conduct the screening as well as suspend its relevant rules to admit the acting CJN Ariwoola and his entourage into the chambers.
The motions were approved by the Senate after the senators by Lawan.
Thereafter, the acting CJN Ariwoola and all Justices of the Supreme Court, President of the Court of Appeal, President of the Federal High Court, President of the National Industrial Court and Secretary of the National Judicial Council walked into the chambers and took their seats.
Recall that the Senate had on July 26th, 2022 received a letter from President Muhammadu Buhari that sought for the screening and subsequent confirmation of Justice Olukayade Ariwoola who is presently in acting capacity as the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) to be a substantive one.
President Buhari in a letter dated 25th July, 2022 was read during plenary by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan.
The letter had read thus, “Pursuant to Section 231(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), I forward for confirmation by the Senate, the appointment of Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola as the Chief Justice of Nigeria.
“While I hope that the submission will be considered in the usual expeditious manner, please accept, Distinguished Senate President, the assurances of my highest consideration.”
Justice Ariwoola’s appointment as CJN by President Buhari was sequel to the resignation of former Chief Justice Muhammad Tanko on 27th June, 2022.
The former CJN, in his resignation letter, cited health grounds as reason for his decision.
With his confirmation by the Senate, Ariwoola has become the third individual to occupy the top Judiciary job of the country in the life of this administration.
Justice Walter Onnoghen also became the CJN under the President Buhari administration before he resigned from office.
The delegation of Justice Ariwoola was led by the Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Babajide Omoworare.