The lawyers also asked the National Judicial Council (NJC) and other relevant authorities to confirm the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria.

The legal practitioners made this call on Saturday, April 27, 2019, in a press conference in Bauchi state.

The chief convener of the group, Shipi Rabo said Tanko’s judicial and intellectual background qualify him for the position adding that the appropriate thing to do is to initiate the process of appointing him as the CJN for the good of Nigeria’s Judiciary.

He said, “Following the judgment by the Code of Conduct Tribunal removing the suspended CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen, as Chief Justice of Nigeria among far-reaching decisions.

“We call on His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari, the National Judicial Council, the Federal Judicial Service Commission among other relevant authorities to go beyond merely extending the appointment of Justice Ibrahim Tanko as Acting CJN.

“This will be in accordance with the provisions of section 231 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) that relates to the appointment of a substantive CJN.

“From his stint as acting CJN, coupled with his abundant integrity and rich Judicial cum intellectual background,”.

You’ll recall that President Muhammadu Buhari recently extended the appointment of the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria by three months. 

The tenure extension was confirmed by the spokesperson of the National Judicial Council (NJC), when he said President Buhari sent the recommendation to the NJC and the Council to approve the appointment on Thursday, April 18, 2019.