Senior Lawyers and Civil Society Groups Call for Unbundling of CJN’s Office

In a conference on Judicial Accountability, organized by TAP Initiative with support from Open Society Foundation, a cross section of Nigerians including senior lawyers and civil society groups called for the unbundling of the Chief Justice of Nigeria’s (CJN) office.

The conference, which took place on March 5, 2024, had 540 participants from various sectors such as the judiciary, civil society actors, lawyers, university students, and international development partners.

The participants argued that the CJN’s overwhelming powers can negatively impact the judiciary and lead to a lack of trust among Nigerian citizens.

They proposed that the CJN’s role as the chairman of the National Judicial Council, Federal Judicial Service Commission, National Judicial Institute, and Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee be unbundled.

This would allow for more transparency and accountability within the judicial system.

The conference also highlighted the need for strengthening the National Judicial Council (NJC) to hold judicial officers accountable.

However, they argued that the code of ethics for judicial officers by the NJC does not require a review but rather the political will of the CJN to investigate and sanction erring judicial officers.

Participants also called for a more transparent and merit-based appointment process for judges, as it was identified as a way to curb the decadence in the judiciary and achieve judicial accountability.

The issue of nepotistic appointments of heads of courts was also addressed, with a majority of panelists frowning upon the practice and considering it to be an ethical concern.

The conference emphasized the critical role of the Judiciary in Nigeria’s democracy and the importance of judicial accountability in fostering public trust in the legal system.