SAN FRANCISCO, February 28, (THEWILL) – The Senate will on Wednesday conduct a confirmation hearing for the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen.
Announcing this on the floor of the upper legislative chamber on Tuesday, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki said the exercise would take place at 11am.
Saraki had, last Tuesday, read out a letter from Acting President Yemi Osinbajo requesting the confirmation of Onnoghen as the CJN.
Onnoghen is from Cross River state and is the only CJN from the south in 30 years.
He has been the acting CJN since November 10, 2016 when his predecessor, Mahmud Mohammed, retired.
The delay by President Muhammadu Buhari in sending Onnoghen’s name to the Senate for confirmation as CJN had sparked public outcry.
So much was the controversy that Onnoghen pleaded with Nigerians not to pressure Buhari into making him the substantive CJN, stating that “the president does not need any threat or ultimatum to perform his constitutional duties”.
His tenure as acting CJN was due to elapse on February 10, but it was only two days before the time that the presidency communicated to the Senate on his confirmation.
But then the National Judicial Council, NJC, which had nominated Onnoghen for the position, re-nominated him on February 9 – a day before the expiration of his three-month tenure.
