VANTAGE NEWS reports that Olukayode Ariwoola has been sworn in as the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria following the resignation of Muhammad Tanko early on Monday.
Ariwoola, born 22nd August 1958 is a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria and a former Justice of the Nigerian courts of appeal.
He was appointed to the bench of the supreme court of Nigeria as Justice in November 2011.
Ariwoola is a member of the Nigerian Bar Association, the International Bar Association, and the Nigerian Body of Benchers.
He is expected to serve in an acting capacity till further confirmation by the National Judicial Council (NJC).
Ariwoola, who hails from the Iseyin Local Government Area of Oyo State started his educational career at the Local Authority Demonstration School, Oluwole where he was schooled between 1959 and 1967.
He also attended the Muslim Modern School in Oluwole between 1968 and 1969 before proceeding to Ansar-Ud-Deen High School, Saki in Oyo North of Oyo State.
Justice Ariwoola studied law at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile Ife where he bagged his bachelor of law degree with honors in July 1980.
He was called to the Nigeria bar in July 1981 and got enrolled at the Supreme Court of Nigeria as a Solicitor and Advocate after.
He had served as a judge of the Oyo State High Court in 1992 and was made a Justice of the Court of Appeal in November 2005.
Ariwoola had also served as Justice of the Court of Appeal in Kaduna, Enugu, and Lagos divisions.
Justice Ariwoola has attended many International and National conferences and workshops in France, Atlanta Georgia, the UK, and Dubai, UAE to mention but a few.
VANTAGE NEWS reports that Justice Ariwoola was a member of the seven-man panel of Justices of the Supreme Court that upheld the 2019 presidential election that was won by President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling All Progressive Congress.
Ariwoola and Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour (retired), Justice Amiru Sanusi (retired), Justice John Inyang Okoro, Justice Ejembi Eko (retired), and Justice Uwani Abba-Aji were members of the panel that affirmed Buhari’s reelection.
Justice Ariwoola who will turn 64 years of age in August will be due for retirement in 2028 when he will clock the 70 years mandatory retirement age as stipulated by law.
Ariwoola was recently criticised for the decision to uphold the use of hijab in Lagos public Primary and Secondary Schools. He chaired the Supreme Court panel that upheld the decision.
Justice Ariwoola was also a member of the Supreme Court panel that was heavily criticised for sacking Emeka Ihedioha as the Governor of Imo State in January 2017.
He was also a member of the Supreme Court panel that sacked David Lyon as the Governor of Bayelsa State.
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