Barring any last minute change, President Muhammadu Buhari will swear in Justice Olukayode Ariwoola as Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) today Monday June 27, 2022.
This follows the resignation of incumbent Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad on health grounds.
Justice Ariwoola, who is the most senior Justice of the Supreme Court, will be sworn in by 2pm at the Council Chambers of the State House, Abuja.
He is expected to act as CJN pending his confirmation by the Senate as substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).
Born on 22 August 1954, Justice Ariwoola from Iseyin, Oyo state was formerly a Justice of the Court of Appeal before his promotion to the Supreme Court bench in 2011.
Justice Tanko is the second Chief Justice of Nigeria to have resigned his appointment in the last four years.
His Lordship studied law at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile Ife and bagged his bachelor of laws degree with honors in July, 1980. In July 1981, Ariwoola was called to the Nigeria bar and enrolled at the Supreme Court of Nigeria as a Solicitor and Advocate soon thereafter.
Justice Ariwoola was first appointed a Judge of Superior Court of record in Oyo State in 1992 from private legal practice. He served as Justice of Court of Appeal in Kaduna, Enugu and Lagos Divisions before his elevation to the Supreme Court.