Justice Mahmud Lined Up To Succeed CJN Aloma Mukhtar

Justice Mohammed Mahmud, The most senior justice of the Supreme Court is set to succeed the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar, who retires November 20, when she would hit the constitutional retirement age of 70 years.

The Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) had last Thursday, nominated Mahmud to the National Judicial Council (NJC), as required by the Constitution.

NJC will now meet on Thursday to ratify his nomination and recommend him to President Goodluck Jonathan. The president will then forward his name to the senate for confirmation, after which he will be sworn in by the president.

Mahmud, who hails from Taraba State is expected to retire on November 10, 2016, when he will clock 70 years.

Sent along with Mahmud’s name to the NJC are two other judges of the Supreme Court, who will be on standby, should Mahmud not scale through for any reasons.

The names which went with his were Justice Walter Nkanu Onnoghen and Mohammed Tanko.

Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar became the first female CJN in the history of Nigeria when she assumed office on July 16, 2012. Apart from being the first female CJN, Mukhtar has been many firsts: she is the first female lawyer from Northern Nigeria, first female judge of the High Court in Kano State judiciary, the first female justice of the Court of Appeal of Nigeria, the first female justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.