Connect with us

News

BREAKING: Tinubu swears-in Kekere-Ekun as ‘CJN’ pending lawmakers confirmation 

Published

on

President Bola Tinubu has sworn in Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun as the Chief Justice of Nigeria.

She is to act as the CJN pending confirmation by the Senate.

Kekere-Ekun was sworn in at the Council Chamber of the State House, Abuja on August 22, 2024, following the retirement of her predecessor, Olukayode Ariwoola.

Ariwoola had disclosed that he signed off on the new rules following reviews by his successor, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, and brother justices of the apex court, namely, Justice Inyang Okoro, Justice Moronkeji Helen Ogunwumiju, Dr. Muiz Banire, SAN, and Yakubu C. Maikyau, SAN.

He expressed concern that the rules regulating procedures in the apex court were those made in 1985 when information technology, electronic transactions, and global telecommunications, among others, were either not in existence or in their formative stages.

Ariwoola’s retirement yesterday paves the way for Kekere-Ekun to step in as the acting CJ, subject to presidential approval and Senate screening.

Brief profile of Kekere-Ekun 

Justice Kudirat Motonmori Kekere-Ekun became next in line to take on one of Nigeria’s most prestigious judicial roles, following her recommendation by the National Judicial Council (NJC) to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun has had an illustrious career she was born on May 7, 1958, in London, United Kingdom, and began her education in private primary schools before attending Queen’s College, Lagos in 1970.

In 1977, she embarked on her legal studies at the University of Lagos, where she earned her LL.B degree in 1980. The following year, she attended the Nigerian Law School and was called to the Nigerian Bar in July 1981.

Justice Kekere-Ekun’s legal journey began in private practice from 1985 to 1989, before she was appointed a Senior Magistrate Grade II in the Lagos State Judiciary in December 1989.

Her ascent in the judiciary continued when she was appointed as a Judge of the High Court of Lagos State on July 19, 1996.

During this period, she also served as Chairman of the Robbery and Firearms Tribunal, Zone II, Ikeja, Lagos, from November 1996 to May 1999, where she dealt with some of the most challenging criminal cases of the time.

Hon. Justice Kekere-ekun was elevated to the Court of Appeal on 22nd September 2004.

She served as a member of the Court of Appeal ICT Committee from June 2011 to July 2013, where she contributed to enhancing the court’s technological capabilities, among others.

News

Mauritania’s Tah succeeds Adesina as 9th AfDB President

Tah was elected to succeed Adesina after rounds of voting conducted by the AfDB Board of Governors during the Bank’s Annual Meetings held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

Published

on

By

Mauritania’s Sidi Ould Tah has been elected as the ninth president of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) as Nigeria’s Akinwumi Adesina prepares to bow out.

The Bank announced his election on its website on Thursday.

Adesina’s 10-year tenure will end this year and Tah is expected to assume office on September 1, 2025.

Tah was elected to succeed Adesina after rounds of voting conducted by the AfDB Board of Governors during the Bank’s Annual Meetings held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

The Board comprises finance ministers and central bank governors from the Bank’s 81 member countries.

Continue Reading

News

JUST IN: Appeal Court Affirms Okphebholo as Edo Governor

Published

on

‎‎The Court of Appeal in Abuja has affirmed Monday Okphebholo as duly elected in the September 21, 2024 Edo Governorship polls, as it affirms the decision of the Tribunal which on April 2 dismissed the petition of Asue Ighodalo of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for lacking merit. ‎‎

A three-man panel of the Appeal court, presided over by Justice Mohamed Danjuma, restated the position of the Tribunal which held that the PDP failed to provide sufficient and credible evidence to substantiate their claims of electoral malpractice, irregularities, and non-compliance with the Electoral Act.‎‎

The panel held that the PDP failed to provide sufficient and credible evidence to substantiate their claims of electoral malpractice, irregularities, and non-compliance with the Electoral Act. ‎‎

The Appellate Court agrees with the Tribunal that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) Machines which the appellants tendered were merely ‘dumped’ as they weren’t demonstrated to prove overvoting.

‎‎This the Court held after it earlier expunged the 133 BVAS machines admitted in evidence at the Tribunal stage of the Governorship tussle. ‎‎

Ighodalo and the PDP were further faulted by the Appellate Court for failing to tender the voter register to prove overvoting.

The Court further adds that BVAS extract doesn’t constitute items with which to prove overvoting. ‎‎It says the documents tendered by the PDP at the Tribunal did not, on their own, prove overvoting, non-holding or cancellation of elections at the polling units.

‎‎To further puncture the case of the PDP, the panel says the 19 witnesses called by the appellants during the Tribunal hearing didn’t help their case.

It says the majority of them did not witness what they spoke about. Moreso, it adds they were insufficient to prove irregularities in polling stations at over 4,000 locations.

‎‎Nigeria’s electoral body, INEC, had declared Okpebholo the winner with 291,667 votes, against Asue Ighodalo of the PDP who garnered 247,274 votes.

Continue Reading

News

Betta Edu Congratulates President Tinubu On His Two Years In Office

Published

on

The former Honorable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation. former, Dr Betta Edu, has congratulated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his Two Years in Office.

Edu, who joined millions of Nigerians and members of the All Progressives Congress, APC to heartily congratulate the president on his second year in office as the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria said the president has been a true father to all.

Her statement reads: Mr. President, Father of the nation.

I join millions of Nigerians and members of our great party, the All Progressives Congress, APC to heartily congratulate you on your second year in office as the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Despite the obvious challenges, your dedication to transforming Nigeria and changing the economic landscape by improving the lives of the citizens in the long run is visible, even to the greatest critics.

It’s has not been an easy ride navigating terrains that even lions won’t dare! Your commitment to hard work and a result oriented leadership is unprecedented.

The focus of your administration on economic rejuvenation is evidently changing the narrative and Nigerians are witnessing the positive impacts, including infrastructural development, education for all, affordable housing, huge improvement in the security situation among others, in just two years.

These positive developments underscore the renewed hope agenda of your administration.

Your Excellency, this was the toughest two years of your four + four years journey leading our nation.

The right foundation has been laid; it’s time for the fruits to blossom.

Forward forever, Nigeria will experience a rebirth, under your dynamic and visionary leader, A Lion is never distracted by the bleats of goats.

Mr. President keeps raising the bar….her statement reads.

Continue Reading

Trending