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The Senate, on Wednesday, screened and confirmed Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun as the substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced confirmation of Kekere-Ekun during the plenary after she was cleared by voice votes.
The 66-year-old jurist becomes the 23rd substantive CJN and the second female to occupy the office in Nigeria’s history.
The new CJN was screened for almost two hours as lawmakers threw various questions at her, particularly on judiciary reforms.
Kekere-Ekun was thereafter cleared by the senators at the Committee of the Whole.
The confirmation was pursuant to Section 231 (1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
After announcing the confirmation, Akpabio expressed confidence that Nigeria will get adequate justice under the leadership of Kekere-Ekun as the new CJN.
The Senate President, thereafter, congratulated the new CJN and urged her to uphold the integrity of the Nigerian judiciary.
During her screening, Justice Kerere-Ekun emphasised her firm stance against corruption in the judiciary, stating that she would not tolerate any form of it.
She read the riot act to judicial officers, stressing that she would not tolerate corruption, frivolous ex parte orders and interim injunctions often granted by some judges.
To decongestion of cases at the Supreme Court, she pleaded with the Senate and by extension, the National Assembly, to amend the relevant section of the 2022 Electoral Act, in making all pre-election matters, to terminate at the Court of Appeal.
She added that trouble looms for those in the habit of discussing cases pending in the court, particularly senior lawyers with declarative or authoritative pronouncements bordering on sub judice.
She said, “Some of the things that I’m known for are integrity and zero tolerance for corruption.
“The judiciary, under my leadership as CJN, will be one that is not associated with corruption and other things like frivolous ex parte orders by judges or interim injunctions.
“Decisive actions would be taken against any officer found indulging in such practices.
“Powers on ex parte orders and interim injunction are no doubt being abused by some judges. Such abuses would not be tolerated under my headship of the judiciary.”
On conflicting court judgments, the newly-confirmed CJN said digitilisation of all courts would help to tackle cases and stem the problem.
“Digitalisation of all the courts would help to track cases already treated by the various courts and prevent conflicting judgments,” she noted.
On decongestion of cases at the various courts, Justice Kekere-Ekun said for the Supreme Court, all pre-election matters, should be terminated at the Court of Appeal.
She added that Alternative Dispute Resolution would also be used to decongest cases at the various courts, which will be embraced by many since it doesn’t end up in victor-and-vanquished pronouncements.
Responding to alleged sub judice being committed by social commentators, particularly senior lawyers on television and radio programmes through declarative or authoritative comments on cases pending in the courts, the CJN said as the Chairman of Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee, such actions would be dealt with.
She added, “Decisive actions would, no doubt, be taken against those found of making declarative or authoritative comments on cases pending in the courts of law.”
She, however, disagreed with the suggestion made by Senator Sani Musa that separate courts should be created to handle election matters and terrorism, saying, “Such courts would also be congested later if the required digitalisation of courts across the country is not done.”
Meanwhile, the Presidency, on Wednesday, described Justice Kekere-Ekun’s appointment as a testament to President Bola Tinubu’s respect for seniority and merit in the judiciary.
The Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Basheer Lado, stated this in a statement on Wednesday following the CJN’s confirmation by the Senate.
Lado said Kekere-Ekun’s appointment did not only speak to her pedigree but to the fact that the President had respect for the guidelines of appointment in the judiciary.
He said, “The appointment of the CJN is a demonstration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s continued commitment to a revamped judiciary.
“He has since assumption of office, demonstrated his determination to ensure a judiciary that will not only ensure speedy dispensation of justice but ensure that every Nigerian gets justice.
“The appointment of 11 justices onto the bench of the apex court, which enables the Supreme Court to attain its full complement of 21 Justices for the very first time, is a case in point.
“Also, the President’s assent to the bill on the increment of salaries of judicial officers is one of the several policies of the government aimed at repositioning the judiciary.
“I commend the 10th Senate for the continued support in ensuring that President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda is well implemented.
“The speedy screening and confirmation of the CJN shows the Senate’s commitment to working with the executive to deliver the dividends of democracy to all Nigerians.”
