President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday inaugurated Justice Walter Onnoghen as the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria.
Onnoghen’s appointment in acting capacity simply means he is expected to act until the name of a substantive CJN is forwarded to the Senate for confirmation.
Statutorily, Onnoghen’s name should be forwarded to the Senate for confirmation as he is the next in line to Justice Mahmoud in terms of seniority. The delay by President Buhari in forwarding Onnoghen’s name to Senate for confirmation has been shrouded in the politics of ethnicity. Onnoghen is from Nigeria’s South-South minority, a geo-political zone Buhari accused of contributing only 5% support towards his election as President.
The brief inauguration ceremony witnessed by top government officials took place inside the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
More details to come.
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