President Muhammadu Buhari in a letter Thursday requested the Senate to confirm the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad as the substantive CJN.
The letter was read by Senate President, Ahmad Lawan at plenary following the recommendation by the National Judicial Council (NJC) that the acting CJN be confirmed.
Muhammad has been acting as the CJN since January 25 this year following the suspension of former CJN Walter Onnoghen.
Jusrice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed’s appointment follows the suspension of the incumbent, Justice Walter Onnoghen by the President, as Onnoghen is currently facing charges bordering on non-declaration of some of his assets, especially accounts of foreign currencies at the Code of Conduct of Tribunal (CCT).
Justice Tanko Muhammad is 65-year-old from Bauchi state, and the most senior justice of Supreme Court of Nigeria after Onnoghen.
Justice Tanko Muhammad, attended Government Secondary School, Azare where he obtained the West Africa School Certificate in 1973 before he proceeded to Ahmadu Bello University where he received a bachelor’s degree in Law in 1980.
He later obtained a Master and Doctorate (Ph D) degrees from the same university in 1984 and 1998 respectively.