By 
Tayo AFOLABI
Honourable Justice Olukayode Ariwoola is now the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) as confirmed by The Senate on Wednesday after screening him.
President Muhammadu Buhari had forwarded the name of Justice Ariwoola to the Senate for confirmation. The Upper Chamber could not confirmed him then as they were on recess.
Ariwoola has been acting CJN after the former, Tanko Muhammad resigned based on health ground, but fillers said his resignation was due to the allegation of corruption levelled against him by the Supreme Court.
But on Wednesday, the Senate screened Justice Ariwoola and confirmed him.
Senate Leader, Senator Abdullahi Gobir had brought the issue of confirmation of the acting CJN on the floor of the upper chamber.
Gobir moved that the Senate do consider the request of the president on the confirmation of the nomination of Justice Ariwoola for appointment as Chief Justice of Nigeria in accordance with Section 231(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
The Minority Leader, Senator Philip Aduda seconded the motion.
Gobir then moved that the Senate do resolve into the Committee of the Whole, which was seconded byAdud
Minority Leader, Senator Philip Aduda seconded the motion.
This led to the screening of the acting CJN.
While responding to questions by Senators during his screening clarified that the 14 Justices of the Supreme Court never petitioned the immediate past CJN, Justice Tanko Muhammad.
He said what was misconstrued as a petition was an “internal memo” meant to bring to the attention of the ex-CJN of the concerns raised severally by Justices which Muhammad which he promised to address but did not.
He said: “How it came into the pages of the newspaper is still a miracle. No Justice had a copy. We (14 of us) only read and signed. It was hand written and typed by one of our Justices. None had a copy.”
Justice Ariwoola was confirmed as CJN after the screening by the Upper Chamber.
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