CJN Resigns Office

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad, has tendered his resignation from office.

Tanko had on Sunday night cited ill-health as the reason for his resignation. Until his resignation, it was gathered that Justice Muhammad was seriously ill.

Meanwhile, in a letter to him last week, 14 Supreme Court justices bemoaned the deteriorating conditions in the highest court.

The Justices charged the CJN with failing to address the issues despite being alerted to them in the leaked letter. They complained of a lack of residential accommodation and vehicles at the court.

The justices also charged the CJN with going on extravagant outings with his “spouse, children, and personal staff” while forbidding them from taking a travel companion when they went abroad.

The justices decried the lack of legal research assistants, despite the magnitude of cases being adjudicated.

Speaking on the lopsided electricity supply, the justices said they had been confined to work between the “hours of 8 a.m and 4 p.m daily, for lack of diesel” after they were notified of the development by the Supreme Court’s Chief Registrar, Hajo Bello.

Meanwhile, In the wake of news of his resignation, Justice Tanko Muhammed chose not to attend the National Judicial Institute’s training program for judges on alternative dispute resolution.

 The CJN or one of his officials often declares the Institute’s Judge Training Program open. Justice Garba, the institute’s administrator, however, has started the meeting, and no Supreme Court Justice is present at the event.

There are speculations that the most senior justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, will be sworn in as the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria.