Nigeria’s CJN, Justice Tanko Mohammad

The Chief Justice of Nigeria CJN and head of the country’s Supreme Court, Justice Tanko Muhammad, has resigned his appointment, citing health grounds.

Judiciary sources disclosed Monday that plans are underway to swear in the next highest ranking justice of the court, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, who hails from Oyo State on acting capacity.

Justice Mohammad, 68 suddenly resigned from the apex court about 18 months to his official exit, as he is officially expected to retire in December 2024, when he will turn 70 years, which is the official retirement age.

Recall that the embattled CJN recently came under severe pressure following a petition by 14 Justices of the Supreme Court bench, in which they alleged that he was hampering the operations of the Supreme Court by failing to fund judges’ welfare as well as fueling of generators among other heavy allegations associated with incompetence and financial impropriety.

The 14 Justices in a leaked memo accused him of poor handling of the operations of the apex court as well as allegedly sending his family members on foreign training programmes meant for the Justices of the apex court, which he promptly refuted.

Judiciary stakeholder believe that leaking such a letter to the general public was first of its kind in the history of Nigeria’s Supreme Court, which is highly revered.