President Bola Tinubu has sworn in Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun as the 23rd Chief Justice of Nigeria, pending her confirmation by the Senate.

The President, who returned to the country at the early hours of this Friday, administered the oath of office on her at the council chamber of the state house.

Kekere-Ekun took the oath of office and signed the oath register at 11.40 am.

She succeeds Ariwoola, who assumed office on June 27, 2022, and bowed out on Thursday, upon attaining the mandatory retirement age of 70 years.

The National Judicial Council (NJC) had recommended the appointment of Justice Kekere-Ekun, the next most senior justice of the apex court, as the next CJN.

Justice Kekere-Ekun was elevated to the Supreme Court of Nigeria as the 5th female Justice of the Court and was sworn in July 2013.