The acting chief justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun has highlighted her agenda in an interview with the media, after she was sworn-in by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday.
Kekere-Ekun pledged to elevate the judiciary, restore public confidence, and address key issues like judicial appointments and discipline, aiming for a judiciary the nation can be proud of.
Kekere-Ekun would be the 23rd Chief Justice of Nigeria if the Senate confirms her appointment.
”We will make sure that people have more confidence in the judiciary, and I believe that it is not a one-man job. We all have to be on board because we all see the areas that are in need of improvement,” she said.
”I believe that there will be maximum cooperation because we all want to see a better judiciary.
”A better judiciary is for the benefit of the entire nation. Whatever the shortcomings that we see today are, we are all members of the society so, if we want to see a better society, if we want to see improvement, let the improvement start with each and every one of us and our approach to justice.
”Let us all have faith in the system and then also be particular about the process of appointment, I know it is a source of a lot of concern; the issue of discipline on the bench and at the bar as well.
”All of these things are aspects that we will look into and I believe that by the grace of God, at the end of my tenure, we should be able to have a judiciary that we will all be proud of,” she said.
The event at the council chambers was witnessed by her husband Akin Kekere-Ekun, her children and other family members.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the just retired Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola; former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed; justices of the Supreme Court, senior judicial officers, and some members of the Federal Executive Council also witnessed the swearing-in.
She was born in the United Kingdom, on 7 May 1958.
Her parents, both from Lagos State, Nigeria, have deeply influenced her life. She is the eldest of eleven siblings.
