Justice Fati Abubakar, wife of Nigeria’s former head of state, General Abdulsalami Abubakar,? was sworn in yesterday as the first female acting chief judge of Niger State following the retirement of the former chief judge, Justice Jibrin Ndajiwo,.
The swearing-in ceremony of the new CJ, witnessed by the state governor, Dr.? Babangida Aliyu, was conducted by the chief registrar of the State High Court, Mohammed Lima.
Also present were the Speaker, Niger State Assembly, Hon.? Adamu Usman, the state attorney-general and commissioner for justice, Barrister Abdullahi Wuse,? former Chief Justices of Nigeria (CJNs) Muhammadu Uwais and Idris Kutigi, and Supreme Court judges led by Justices Mary Odili and Musa Dattijo.
Governor Aliyu expressed high hope that the new CJ would lead the state’s judiciary to greater heights, and used the occasion to extol the virtues of Ndajiwo and Fati Abubakar.
The governor had earlier, in a statement by his chief press secretary, noted that Justice Abubakar’s appointment follows the exit of Justice Ndajiwo who had attained the mandatory retirement age of 65 years, and that her appointment was in conformity with Section 271 (4) of the 1999 Constitution.
Aliyu further said that given Justice Abubakar’s impressive credentials as the most senior High Court judge, a former solicitor-general of the state and a judicial officer of impeccable character, he was confident that she would discharge the duties of her new office diligently and without bias.
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