A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Fidelis Oditah, has expressed worries over the prioritisation of electoral disputes at the expense of socio-economic and commercial matters.

Oditah, who was the Keynote Speaker at the 2025 annual reunion of the Nigerian Law School Class of 1985 and the 40th anniversary of the Call to Bar, said his lecture, ‘Judicial Gridlock and the Adverse Implications of Prioritising Electoral Justice Above Socio-Economic Justice’, offered a scathing but reform-driven critique of Nigeria’s courts.

Describing Nigeria’s justice system as slow, ineffective and overly technical, Oditah said delays in civil and criminal adjudication have far-reaching economic and social consequences.

He argued that while electoral justice is important, fixation on election petitions has diverted attention and resources from resolving commercial disputes, criminal cases and citizens’ daily grievances.

To address the crisis, the senior lawyer proposed 10 key solutions, including improved funding and resourcing of the judiciary, recruitment of more judges, better infrastructure and wider deployment of technology. He stressed that digitalisation is no longer optional if courts are to cope with growing caseloads.

Oditah also advocated zero tolerance for corruption, condemning lenient sanctions for corrupt judges. According to him, suspensions without pay or quiet reinstatements send wrong messages and undermine public confidence.

On interlocutory appeals, he said their misuse has crippled trials, especially criminal cases.

The SAN further highlighted weak investigation and prosecution as major causes of failed criminal trials, lamenting the tendency to file numerous poorly investigated charges rather than focus on well-prepared cases.

Other reforms he outlined include resolving jurisdictional conflicts between federal and state high courts, reforming case listing practices, as well as improving communication between courts and counsel.

Oditah was particularly critical of the judicial work ethic, citing late sittings, frequent adjournments, resistance to technology and delays in delivering rulings. He also decried political influence and patronage in judicial appointments and promotions, warning that excessive lobbying erodes independence and impartiality.

He concluded by urging stricter sanctions against erring lawyers, including Senior Advocates, and revitalisation of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, which he said has been largely non-functional.

Earlier in his welcome address, Chairman, Council of Legal Education and Chairman, Alumni Class of 85, Emeka Ngige (SAN), unveiled some projects, including an ultra-modern medical centre at the Lagos Campus of Nigerian Law School.

Some class members, who contributed to the development of the legal profession and to the growth of the class, including Mrs Helen Oloja and 46 Senior Advocates, were honoured.