Finally: Acting President Osinbajo Sends Acting CJN Onnoghen’s Name To Senate

SAN FRANCISCO, February 07, (THEWILL) – Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has transmitted the name of Justice Walter Onnoghen, acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), to the Senate for confirmation as the substantive CJN.

This comes with just two days left to the expiration of the tenure of Onnoghen following pressure on the presidency to appoint Justice Onnoghen as the substantive CJN after ‘northerners’ had held the post for 30 years.

THEWILL gathered that the Senate President, Bukola Saraki received the letter on Tuesday, requesting the upper chamber to screen and confirm Justice Onnoghen, a Cross River State indigene, as the substantive CJN.

Also, a ranking senator speaking on the condition of anonymity, said he was aware that the acting president had transmitted Justice Onnoghen’s name to the Senate for confirmation.

However, the Senate may also choose to conduct a thorough investigative and screening process rather than rubber stamp his nomination.

Although, the Senate is currently on recess, it would be left to Saraki to decide whether to reconvene the Senate to kick-start the screening process before Justice Onnoghen’s tenure as acting CJN lapses on Friday or the National Judicial Council (NJC) could renew Onnoghen’s tenure in acting capacity as an interim measure while the Senate goes about the screening and confirmation exercise.

To this end, the NJC will hold an emergency meeting on Wednesday to recommend the renewal of Justice Onnoghen’s tenure as the acting CJN so that the Senate will go about its business screening him at its own pace.

Curiously, Justice Onnoghen, who doubles as the Chairman of the NJC, will preside over the meeting.