…after Senate confirmation
The Senate has confirmed Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun as the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), following the request by President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday, seeking that she be screened and confirmed for the position.
Justice Kekere-Ekun’s appointment aligns with Section 231(1) of the 1999 Constitution, which empowers the president to appoint the CJN based on the recommendation of the National Judicial Commission (NJC) and subject to Senate confirmation.
During her confirmation hearing, Justice Kekere-Ekun emphasised her commitment to modernising the judicial system through the use of information and communication technology (ICT). She stated that the current manual processes contributes to delays in legal proceedings, adding, “I will leverage ICT for most of our legal processes and ensure we do away with all analogue systems. We are going to digitalise our courts to meet up with the global best practices.”
“We shall introduce virtual hearings to help in the justice delivery”.
She also stated that they would eliminate certain processes that make the legal system cumbersome and time consuming.
“Heads of courts will be encouraged to weed out processes that delay justice delivery.
“We shall also promote Alternative Disputes Resolution (ADR) to help discongest our courts,” she added.
The Senate’s screening process was initiated with a procedural adjustment proposed by Senate Leader Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, allowing Justice Kekere-Ekun’s hearing to be prioritised. She arrived at the Senate chambers at 12:30 PM, accompanied by other justices from the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal.
Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, who was sworn in on August 23, 2024, is Nigeria’s second female CJN, following Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar, who served from 2012 to 2014. With extensive judicial experience, having served as a High Court judge and a Supreme Court Justice since 2013, she is set to serve until her retirement in May 2028.
She brings extensive judicial experience, having previously held positions as a High Court judge and a Justice of the Supreme Court since 2013.
