Buhari Appoints Onnoghen Acting Chief Justice

Twenty-four hours to the exit of the retiring Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mahmud Mohammed, President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Justice Walter Nkanu Onnoghen as the acting CJN.
His swearing in, is scheduled for tomorrow (Thursday) at the Aso Rock presidential villa.
The National Judicial Council (NJC) recommended him as Mohammed’s successor-in-office.
Buhari, as the appointing authority, is yet to send his name to the Senate for confirmation.
With Mohammed bowing out tomorrow after attaining the mandatory retirement age of 70 years, Buhari reportedly consented on Wednesday to swear Onnoghen in, in acting capacity, to avoid constitutional crisis with the vacuum that Mohammed’s exit would have created.
If President Buhari eventually send his name to the Senate and it is confirmed, he would have broken the monopoly of the North holding unto the head of the judiciary for over three decades.