.CSOs chide CJN over poor state of judiciary

Civil Society Organisations (CSO) have criticised the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola over the state of Nigeria’s Judiciary under his leadership.

The organisations lamented that his leadership has led to increasing damages, continued missteps, alleged misuse of authority and a general failure to undertake effective reform in the Judiciary.

The CSOs are Access to Justice, Rights Human and Constitutional Rights Committee, African Bar Association, Fight Against Corruption in the Judiciary, FundELG Africa, Open Justice Alliance, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) and Sterling Law Centre.

In a joint letter dated March 28, 2024 and addressed to the CJN, the CSOs said: “Against the background of the decline, which the Judiciary suffered before the CJN’s appointment, it was expected that the CJN, would, upon his appointment, be acutely conscious of the extreme urgency of reforming the judiciary and its administration, arresting its downward spiral in public trust, and reinforcing its capacity to promote and protect the rule of law.”

In the letter copied to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), Deputy National Chairman, National Judicial Council, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun (JSC), the groups lamented that the Judiciary remains unreconstructed and its public perception has not improved since then.

They said: “We are very concerned that the Judiciary has steadily grown worse since your lordship assumed its leadership.”

Furthermore, they lamented that the CJN’s “personal actions – apart from the dysfunctionalities of the justice system – are harming the already fragile and enfeebled Judiciary, and whatever is left of its credibility.”

They noted that some areas where the CJN’s leadership had worsened and caused the Judiciary more reputational harm include the reabsorption of dismissed and compulsorily retired judges, turning a blind eye to issues of Judicial integrity and manipulating the timing of appointments of Supreme Court Justices, among other areas.

These allegations, they said, have had a profound negative impact on public perception of Nigeria’s Judiciary, both domestically and internationally.

They maintained that Nigeria’s judiciary, which was once revered, has now lost direction and faces widespread distrust, disparagement, and even name-calling, which now threaten its legitimacy.

They also noted that notwithstanding the damning nature of public assessments and characterisations of the Judiciary, its leadership appears unruffled by them, adding that the reputational harm is affecting and stigmatising many conscientious judges and justices who serve honourably, and do not deserve the unfair tarring of the entire institution by the same brush.

The groups further declared that the CJN’s actions have plunged the Judiciary’s image further down the barrel, noting that the office of the CJN is a public trust.

The CSOs argued that the CJN must not abuse that trust by privileging the interests of his family members over the interests of the judicial institution.

They, therefore, urged him to take urgent actions to pull the Judiciary from the brink of total perdition and overhaul the entire system.

“Declaring a state of emergency in the judiciary would be a good start. Ensuring that judicial selection decisions are transparently and verifiably merit-based, is a pressing need at this time,” they declared.