Stakeholders in Nigeria’s justice sector have called for urgent reforms that will rebuild public confidence in the judiciary. They made the call in Lagos, at the 18th Annual Business Luncheon of SPA Ajibade & Co., with the theme, ‘Rebuilding Public Trust in the Nigerian System: Responsibility of the Bar, the Bench and the Society.’
Former Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), said many conflicts arising from judicial processes are avoidable, especially when they are not deliberately induced.
Noting that modern electronic research tools already provide clear authorities on legal issues, he urged the judiciary to leverage them to minimise unnecessary delays and inconsistencies.
In his keynote address, Osinbajo criticised brazenness in misconduct cases, insisting that once the Supreme Court defines certain acts as misconduct, they must be treated accordingly.
Acknowledging structural challenges, including a shortage of judges and inadequate courtrooms, he identified judicial system administration as the major problem, urging judges to focus strictly on adjudication while trained professionals handle procurement, infrastructure, staffing and technological systems.
Osinbajo also condemned persistent allegations of bench-fixing, corrupt case assignments and manipulation of court registries, calling for the adoption of randomised electronic case allocation and automated rotation systems used globally to eliminate discretion and strengthen public trust.
On judicial appointments, Osinbajo argued that Nigeria’s current process is vulnerable to political influence. Citing the 2024 reform proposals, he noted that the Chief Justice of Nigeria wields overwhelming control at the federal level while governors dominate at the state level – arrangements that fuel nepotism and weaken meritocracy.
He therefore called for constitutional restructuring of the National Judicial Council (NJC), the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) and state Judicial Service Commissions (JSCs), headed by laypersons.
An Economist and political scholar, Prof Pat Utomi, warned that diminishing confidence in the judiciary poses a direct threat to the country’s democracy.
Utomi noted that political judgments remained the biggest source of reputational damage for the judiciary as electoral verdicts contradict public expectations, fuelling local and international concerns.
He argued that courts should refrain from declaring political winners and focus strictly on ensuring due process, stressing that democracy derives legitimacy from credible elections, not judicial pronouncements.
Justice Habeeb Abiru of the Supreme Court of Nigeria expressed concerns that an average case takes up to 14 years to determine. Such delays, he said, erode the value of justice and deepen public suspicion.
Dr Charles Adogwu-Philips (SAN) said public trust in lawyers has declined sharply, “with the profession ranking only slightly higher than building contractors, politicians and car salesmen in perceived ethics. He said many clients blame lawyers when cases are lost but stressed that some lawyers also misuse loyalty to clients to justify unethical conduct.”
