Acting CJN To Face Senate Screening Wednesday

Three months after his appointment as Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola is set to be screened on September 21 and possibly confirmed by the Senate.

President Muhammadu Buhari had in July written to the Senate seeking the confirmation of Ariwoola as CJN.

This followed his appointment on June 27 after the resignation of Justice Ibrahim Muhammad.

Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, while delivering his opening remark at the resumption of plenary on Tuesday, said the Red Chamber will screen Ariwoola on Wednesday.

Lawan added that the Senate will also receive the 2023 budget estimates from President Buhari in October.

“Distinguished Colleagues in the next three months our focus will largely be on the confirmation of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, work on Medium Term Expenditure Framework / Fiscal Strategic Paper (MTEF/FSP) 2023 – 2025, Budget 2023, working to support our defense and security forces, amongst others.
“The Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria will be screened on Wednesday. Also, we are expecting Mr President Commander–in–Chief of the Armed Forces to present the Budget estimates in the first week of October.”

Speaking further, the Senate President commended the commitment lawmakers in engaging with Ministries Department and Agencies while the senate was on recess.

“In the last three years, we are prepared to make the remaining period very productive and successful.

“No doubt that, the Ninth Senate has performed creditably and will end very well.

“We scored so many feats and broke many jinxes through various legislative interventions,i must commend all of us for the commitment, dedication and patriotism and sense of duty.

“Distinguished colleagues, just before we embarked on our recess the Senate showed serious concerns on the Security situation in the country.

“We had intimate discussions on the security challenges across the country. Consequently, the Leadership of the senate had two engagements with the Office of the National Security Adviser, Chief of Defense Staff, Service Chiefs, Inspector General of Police, the Director-General of Department of State Services, Director General of Nigerian Intelligence Agency and other heads of other security agencies to ensure that our defense and Security Agencies improve on their operational strategies to secure citizens and indeed our country.

“From the assessment of the prevailing situation our security agencies are recording more successes and the situation seems to be improving.”

Lawan added that the National Assembly would work with Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure successful, transparent, and credible elections in 2023.

“We are ready to support INEC in all possible ways as a Legislature. Already the timely amendment of the Electoral Act 2022 has provided very important innovations in ensuring better electoral climate,” he said.