The Federal High Court in Abuja has
rejected an ex parte application for an order stopping President Muhammadu
Buhari from swearing in Justice Tanko Muhammad as the substantive Chief Justice
of Nigeria.
Muhammad had been acting as the CJN
since January when President Muhammadu Buhari suspended the former CJN, Justice
Walter Onnoghen.
With Onnoghen’s resignation and
subsequent conviction by the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Muhammad is believed to
be set to assume the office of the CJN in substantive capacity.
The main suit filed by Malcom Omirhobo
Foundation, a group being promoted and represented in court by a lawyer, Malcom
Omirhobo, is challenging Muhammad’s fitness to hold the office of the CJN.
Justice Inyang Ekwo rejected the group’s ex parte application requesting an order stopping Buhari from swearing in the acting CJN in acting capacity, in a ruling on Friday.
