Barring any last minute change from the Presidency and the Senate, Justice Walter Nkanu Onnoghen is set to emerge as the next Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), following the retirement of Justice Mahmud Mohammed, upon reaching the age of 70 on November 10, 2016.
Justice Mohammed was appointed the CJN in 2014, to succeed the Justice Aloma Mukhtar, who was remarkably the first female CJN of the country.
Premised on the fact that the Senate has yet to confirm the receipt of any nominations from the Presidency, as recommended to it by the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC), which had nominated Justices Walter Onnoghen, Tanko Muhammad, and Suleiman Galadima; Justice Onnoghen appears to be favored.
However, reliable information from the NJC indicate that Justice Onnoghen remains the most favoured, while indications from the Presidency shows its preference for a northern to emerge as the next CJN, rather than a southerner.
A very reliable source within the NJC had disclosed to BusinessDay, that the Presidency had never been in support of the candidacy of Onnoghen to succeed the CJN, which might have been the reason being the brutal treatment meted on him, during the recent raid and arrest of some judges on the grounds of alleged corrupt activities.
Subject to section 231(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, conferred on President Buhari the power to appoint a CJN on the recommendation of the NJC, it however stressed that such appointment must be subject to confirmation by the Senate, which as at the time of filling this report has not been confirmed.
Justice Onnoghen was born on the 22nd December, 1950 at Okurike Town, Biase L.G.A. of Cross Rivers State, he attended the Presbyterian Primary School, Okurike Town between 1959 and 1965, later proceeded to Accra, Ghana to attend Odorgorno Secondary School, Adabraka, Accra, Ghana between 1967 and 1972 for his West African Examination Council (WAEC) Exams.
He was at Accra Academy, Accra Ghana between 1972 and 1974 for his WAEC (A-Levels) before proceeding to the University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana between 1974 and 1977 to obtain his Bachelor of Law Degree (LL.B (Hons)) and graduated with 2nd Class Upper Division, he attended the Nigerian Law School, Victoria Island, Lagos between 1977 and 1978 for his B.L certificate, before working with Ministry of Justice, Ikeja, Lagos, Ogun State, and his eventually emergence as a Justice of the Supreme Court (JSC).
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Sebastine Hon, had also recently urged the President and the Senate to fast track the confirmation of the new CJN before Justice Mohammed bows out of office, thereby not creating an unnecessary vacuum in the office, which could further dent the image of the judicial arm of government.
