…Says ‘It’s too powerful’
Legal practitioners and civil groups in Nigeria have called for the unbundling of the office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, on the grounds that the occupant possesses “overbearing and ubiquitous powers” which can impact negatively on the Judiciary.
This was part of recommendations contained in a communique issued at the end of a one-day conference in Abuja on ‘Judicial Accountability, organized by TAP Initiative’, with support from Open Society Foundations.
According to them, the Office of the CJN, as it is presently constituted, is too powerful with unprecedented functions that can make the occupants go astray.
Recall that a former Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Muhammad Musa Dattijo, made a similar call last November, while retiring from the bench of the apex court.
According to the retired apex court justice, the CJN being the Chairman of National Judicial Council, Federal Judicial Service Commission, National Judicial Institute and Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee, posseses overwhelming powers that can be abused.
The conference which has the theme: ‘Impact of Judicial Accountability on Democratic Resilience and Public Trust in the Legal System’, had 540 participants drawn from the judiciary, civil society, lawyers, university students, Embassies and High Commissions, as well as other international development partners.
Amongst those who signed the communique issued on Monday, include Jibrin Okutepa, (SAN), Adamson Adeboro, (SAN), Mbasekei Martin Obono, Victoria Benson and Lillian Okenwa.
While claiming the situation as one of the greatest reasons for the dwindling trust Nigerians have in the judiciary, they said it would be difficult for the NJC to exercises disciplinary control over judicial officers if they are appointed by the CJN.
Besides, the participants argued that having been appointed by the CJN, the NJC cannot take any disciplinary measures against the CJN if the need arises.
“That the office of the CJN should be unbundled, especially as chairman of the National Judicial Council, Federal Judicial Service Commission, National Judicial Institute and Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee”, the communique read in part.
Meanwhile, the participants called for the strengthening of the NJC in order to hold judicial officers accountable, adding that the code of ethics for judicial officers by the NJC needs no review but proper political will by the CJN to investigate and sanction erring judicial officers.
The Conference was convened to acknowledge the critical role of the judiciary in Nigeria’s democracy and to recognize the far-reaching impact of judicial pronouncements on the lives of citizens.
