The National Judicial Council, NJC, has approved the request of President Muhammadu Buhari to extend the appointment of Ibrhaim Muhammad, acting chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), by three months.
In a statement on Saturday, Soji Oye, spokesman for NJC, said that the council met and approved President Buhari’s request to extend the Acting CJN’s appointment. “The Council met on Thursday 18th April, 2019 and at the 88th Meeting considered and approved the request of President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, for the extension of the Appointment of Hon. Dr. Justice I. T. Muhammad, CFR, as the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria for another three (3) months and Council has since forwarded its approval to the president,” the statement read.
Muhammad was appointed following Walter Onnoghen’s suspension by President Buhari over asset declaration fraud.
On Thursday April 18, the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, convicted and barred him from holding public office for 10 years. All the funds in the accounts he did not disclose were ordered forfeited to the federal government.
Onnoghen has, however, appealed the CCT verdict.