President Buhari Muhammadu has conferred the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) merit award on immediate past Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Tanko Muhammad.
The conferment ceremony took place at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa in Abuja, following the swearing-in of Justice Olukayode Ariwoola as the acting CJN.
Speaking on Tanko’s resignation, Buhari said “Nigeria’s Judiciary under the leadership of Chief Justice of Nigeria Tanko Muhammed judiciously exercised the Judicial powers of the Federation.
“His era witnessed several landmark, jurisprudential and policy decisions by the Supreme Court, and by extension other Courts established by the Constitution.
UPDATED: Buhari swears-in Olukayode Ariwoola as acting CJN
“CJN Tanko dealt firmly with the issue of reckless and indiscriminate grant of ex-parte Orders that was assuming serious dimensions.
“History will be kind to Justice Tanko Muhammed for his modest contributions to Nigeria’s Judiciary, the strengthening of our democracy and national development.
“In line with the custom of decorating Chief Justices of Nigeria with the second highest national honour of the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, (GCON), and upon the advice of the Council of State in that regard, as his Lordship CJN I. Tanko Muhammed is taking a bow from the Supreme Court, I hereby bestow on him the National Honour of the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, (GCON).”
