Calm, Relief At Supreme Court As Buhari Swears In Ariwola As CJN; Will Retire In 2028

By Tosin Olatokunbo

Justice Kayode Ariwoola who was sworn-in Monday afternoon as the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, will retire in 2028 if confirmed, and bearing any other strange circumstances.

He was born on August 22, 1958. The retiring age is 70 years.

Until his appointment, he was the second most senior Justice of the Supreme Court, after the Honourable Muhammad Tanko who suddenly resigned Monday morning over alleged health issues.

He arrived in company of his brother-Justices to the Executive Council Chambers where he was sworn-in by 2.45pm by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Justice Ariwoola from Iseyin, Oyo State, was among the  Supreme Court Justices, who last week wrote a protest letter to the outgone CJN.

The angry Justices had accused their former boss of shortchanging them in running the affairs of Nigeria’s top most Court.

The letter reads in part: “In the past, Justices were nominated to attend two to three foreign workshops and trainings per annum with an accompanying person for reasons of age.

“Since Your Lordship’s assumption of office, justices only attended two workshops in Dubai and Zanzibar. They were not accorded the privilege of travelling with accompanying persons as was the practice.

“Your Lordship totally ignored this demand and yet travelled with  spouse, children and personal staff.

”We DEMAND to know what has become of our training funds, have they been diverted, or is it a plain denial?

“Your Lordship may also remember that the National Assembly has increased the budgetary allocation of the Judiciary.

“We find it strange that in spite of the upward review of our budgetary allocation, the court cannot cater for our legitimate entitlements. This is unacceptable.

“There is general lack of concern for Justices who require immediate or emergency medical intervention,” they added, even as they equally bemoaned the disconnection of internet services at their chambers and official residence.

“Your Lordship, with all due respect, this is the peak of the degeneration of the court; it is the height of decadence, and clear evidence of the absence of probity and moral rectitude.

“Your Lordship, this act alone portends imminent danger to the survival of this court and the judiciary as an institution, which is gradually drifting to extinction,” the angry Justices wrote in the letter titled: “The State of Affairs in the Supreme Court of Nigeria by Justices of the Court”.

Apart from Ariwoola those who signed the letter include: Musa Dattijo Mohammed, Kudirat Motonmori O. Kekere-Ekun, and John Inyang Okoro.

The rest are Chima Centus Nweze, Amina Adamu Augie, Uwani Musa Abba-Aji, Mohammed Lawal, Helen Moronkeji Ogunwumiju, Abdu Aboki, Ibrahim Saulawa, Adamu Jauro, Tijjani Abubakar, and Emmanuel Agim.

Meanwhile, the magazine could not confirm whether the former CJN was forced to resign as a result of the last week’s saga, which many keen watchers of Nigeria’s Presidency said rattled Aso Rock, or on health grounds.

Speculation is that Tanko had Alzheimers. Ariwoola too, allegedly, has medical issues and walks with a walking stick.

He is described as a  patrician and has a sense of fairness. Said a Lawyer: “We are. Ariwoola is calm and friendly. He is a friend to most Lawyers.”

Meanwhile, Justices of the Supreme Court are calm, and relieved, according to sources in the Apex Court, who also say that most staff are happy.