Buhari asks Osinbajo to send Onnoghen’s name to Senate for confirmation as CJN

With less than 48 hours to the expiration of the tenure of the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, President Muhammadu Buhari has asked Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo to forward his name to the Senate for confirmation.

Buhari in a letter said his name should be transmitted to the upper chamber before February 10 when Onnoghen’s tenure in acting capacity would elapse, The Cable reports.

The letter reads in part: “Your Excellency may recall that I sent a letter dated 10th November, 2016, to Honourable Jutice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen CFR, appointing him as acting chief justice of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

“His acting appointment is due to lapse on the 10th of February, 2017. I am therefore, authorising you to write to the Distinguished Senate, in conformity with section 231 (1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, requesting for the confirmation of the same Honourable Jutice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen CFR, as the substantive Chief Justice of the Federation with effect from the date of the senate confirmation.

“Please accept, Mr Acting President, the assurances of my kind regards.”

According to Leadership, a source close to the office of the Senate President, confirmed that Senate President Bukola Saraki received the letter on Tuesday, February 7, demanding the senate to screen and confirm Justice Onnoghen as the substantive CJN.

There have been controversies over the delay in the confirmation of Onnoghen, with many accusing the president of ethnic bias.

Onnoghen takes over from Justice Mahmud Mohammed who retired after attaining the mandatory retirement age of 70 years. He becomes the first southerner since 1980 to assume the position of Chief Justice of Nigeria.

Abubakar Dangiwa Umar, former military governor of Kaduna state, had urged the senate not to confirm any nominee apart from Walter Onnoghen.

Onnoghen had appreciated the interest of Nigerians in the issue, but called for restraint.

“Nigerians should allow President, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, a free hand to perform his constitutional duties concerning the appointment of a substantive chief justice of Nigeria,” he had said in a statement issued on his behalf by Awassam Bassey, his media aide.