By Awwal Umar Kontagora A panel of stakeholders, including Senior Advocates of Nigeria and notable activists, on Tuesday in Abuja, urged t...
By Awwal Umar Kontagora
A panel of stakeholders, including Senior Advocates of Nigeria and notable activists, on Tuesday in Abuja, urged the incoming Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, to prioritize the sanitation of the judiciary to restore public confidence in the judicial system.
During a roundtable discussion, the panelists expressed concern that the judiciary's image is currently tarnished and called for comprehensive reforms to ensure justice is delivered effectively.
The discussion, which produced a five-point agenda to guide the CJN nominee, featured two law professors, Ernest Ojukwu, SAN, and Samuel Erugo, SAN, as well as human rights activist Aisha Yesufu and other justice stakeholders.
They emphasized the need for Justice Kekere-Ekun to reform judicial appointments, ensuring that nepotism and favoritism are eliminated from the process.
Additionally, the stakeholders called on the incoming CJN to address the issue of conflicting judgments and orders from courts of coordinate jurisdiction, which have undermined the judiciary's credibility.
The panelists also stressed the importance of focusing on discipline and accountability to restore public trust in the judiciary.
Another key issue highlighted was the handling of election petitions and political cases, which the panelists said have eroded Nigerians' faith in the judiciary, particularly in recent years.
The stakeholders urged Justice Kekere-Ekun to reform the Supreme Court so that only cases of national importance are heard at the apex court, while minor matters are resolved at lower courts.
Speaking at the event, Executive Director of Tap Initiative, Mr. Martin Obono, criticized the National Judicial Council (NJC) for recent judicial appointments, accusing it of appointing family members and relatives of former justices to the bench.
Obono called on the new CJN to restore integrity and merit to judicial appointments by introducing transparent selection processes, advertising judicial vacancies, and ensuring fair interviews, shortlisting, and final selection.
Mr. Folarin Aluko, a member of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), urged the new CJN to address conflicting judgments and the abuse of interim injunctions. He suggested the introduction of clear practice directions for managing territorial jurisdiction overlaps.
Aisha Yesufu called for mechanisms to increase financial transparency, accountability, and public reporting to restore public trust in the judiciary. She also advocated for prompt and proportionate disciplinary actions.
Professor Ojukwu advised the new CJN to uphold the principles of equity, fairness, and justice, warning against actions that could evoke negative public emotions. He also recommended that the judiciary find a way to remove itself from election cases, ensuring that leaders are chosen by the electorate, not the courts.
Professor Samuel Erugo, SAN, suggested that the Supreme Court should be reformed to allow it to review its own judgments, particularly in cases of significant public outcry.
Justice Kekere-Ekun is expected to assume leadership of Nigeria's judiciary on Thursday when the incumbent, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, retires upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70.
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