CJN reschedules inauguration of FHC’s Acting Chief Judge

The inauguration of Justice John Tsoho as the Acting Chief Judge of the Federal High Court has been rescheduled to take place at 2.30pm on Friday, the Supreme Court’s information department has confirmed The PUNCH, not TheNigeriaLawyer on Friday.

Guests at the Supreme Court where the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad, was scheduled to preside over the event at 10am on Friday had dispersed as there was no sign in sight that it would hold.

The Director of Press and Information of the apex court, Dr. Festus Akande, later confirmed to our correspondent that the event had not taken place because the CJN had yet to receive communication from President Muhammadu Buhari in respect of the appointment of the Acting Chief Judge of the Federal High Court.

But information later filtered in that the CJN had rescheduled the event for 2.30pm Friday.

When asked to ascertain the information, Akande confirmed the new time fixed for it.

Justice Adamu Abdul-Kafarati had retired as the Chief Judge of the court on attaining the mandatory retirement of 65 years on Thursday but 24 hours after his exit, his replacement was still being awaited.

The next most senior judge of the court, Justice John Tsoho, was scheduled to be sworn in as the Acting CJ by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad, at 10am on Friday.

Earlier guests at the Supreme Court, including a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Michael Andoakaa (SAN), and another judge of the court, Justice Mojisola Olatoregun, who is next in seniority to Justice Tsoho, started leaving the venue when there was no sign that the event would hold as of 10.40am.