‘Citizens’ Gavel asks Nigerians to determine their judges
Access to Justice (A2Justice) and other Civil Society Organisations have written a letter to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, on an allegation of failure to undertake effective reform in the judiciary.

The CSOs and the campaigners also raised the alarm about poor leadership, the harm inflicted on the judiciary, and alleged dishonourable practices by the CJN.

In a joint letter, dated March 28, 2024 and addressed to the CJN, the CSOs said that against the background of the decline the judiciary suffered prior to 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.”

The groups noted: “The Judiciary remains unreconstructed and its public perception has not improved since then.

“We are very concerned that the judiciary has steadily grown worse since Your Lordship assumed its leadership”.

MEANWHILE, another CSO, Citizens’ Gavel, has in a separate statement, urged Nigerians to exercise their democratic right to a transparent and accountable process in appointing judges.

The organisation said the call became necessary following the prevalence of decadence in the Nigerian Judicial System, which has been noticeable in recent years.

Its Head of Communication, Charles Akintola, in a statement, yesterday, added that it was time for the temple of justice to be sanitised and for judgments to be delivered accordingly without bias.

According to him, names of judges had been meticulously compiled and their profiles presented for Nigerians to exercise their civic duty by thoroughly examining each individual’s profile.

He said: “The appointment of 12 out of the 24 nominated judges is a crucial phase for our democratic journey as more people will be vested with powers to uphold justice, maintain the rule of law, interpret laws, review the constitution, resolve disputes and protect the rights of the ordinary Nigerian, all of which directly impact the lives of every Nigerian.”

The organisation insisted on the necessity of basing judicial selections on merit and established integrity to arrest the current degradation and fortify the foundations of justice in the nation.

It added: “Leading the charge for judicial accountability, Citizens’ Gavel has meticulously compiled and presented the profiles of the identified 24 appointees. The organisation invites the Nigerian public to exercise their civic duty by thoroughly examining each individual’s profile. Concerns regarding any appointee’s character, conduct, or impartiality should be formally addressed through a petition to the National Judicial Council (NJC). “