The Senate has commenced the screening of Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun for appointment as the substantive holder of the office she currently occupies.
The confirmation hearing is being held on the floor of the upper legislative chamber.
Other accompanying judges of the Supreme Court, judicial officers, and senior assistants to the president on National Assembly matters were also admitted into the chamber for screening and confirmation.
The development comes after President Bola Tinubu write to the Senate on Tuesday, seeking the confirmation of Kekere-Ekun as the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, read Tinubu’s letter during plenary on Tuesday.
In the letter, Tinubu cited Section 231(1) of the Nigerian Constitution, which empowers him to appoint the CJN based on recommendations from the National Judicial Council, pending Senate approval.
The President expressed confidence in her nomination and urged the Senate to act urgently.
Senate President Akpabio then referred the nomination to the Committee of the Whole for deliberation on the next legislative session.
The National Judicial Council (NJC) in August recommended Justice Kekere-Ekun to President Tinubu as successor to the former CJN, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.
The 66-year-old jurist has been in the office in acting capacity since August following the retirement of Olukayode Ariwoola as CJN.
Some justices of the various courts and members of her family accompanied her to the screening exercise.
Kekere-Ekun is the 23rd Chief Justice of Nigeria and second Nigerian female jurist to serve in that position.
The first female to occupy the exalted seat was Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, who was the CJN between July 2012 and November 2014.
She was born on May 7, 1958, in London, United Kingdom. Her journey in the legal profession commenced at the University of Lagos where she obtained her first degree in law in 1980. After she completed the Nigeria Law School, she was called to the Nigerian Bar on July 10, 1981.
