Mohamed Garba
Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai launched a scathing critique of Nigeria’s judiciary on Monday, accusing judges and lawyers of widespread corruption and asserting that the system has become a tool for the wealthy and politically connected.
Speaking at the Nigerian Bar Association’s (NBA) Law Week in Abuja, El-Rufai declared that public confidence in the judiciary has collapsed due to delayed rulings, biased decisions, and a perceived alignment with executive interests.
El-Rufai, a lawyer and former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, painted a grim picture of Nigeria’s legal framework, stating, “Our judiciary—meant to be the bedrock of fairness and order—is under intense scrutiny. Concerns about delayed justice, procedural inefficiencies, and judicial compromise erode public confidence.”
He highlighted practices like “forum shopping”—where litigants seek favourable courts—and the “weaponization of ex parte orders” in political cases as evidence of systemic manipulation. “Justice is for sale and available only to the rich,” he asserted, arguing that courts now prioritize legal technicalities over substantive justice.
The former governor criticized the judiciary’s perceived subservience to the executive branch, claiming, “The law administered seems to be according to the wishes of the Executive.”
He lambasted the National Judicial Council (NJC) for failing to discipline corrupt judges, citing opaque appointments, inconsistent rulings, and lenient penalties for misconduct.
“The NJC is desperately in need of reform,” he said, urging lawyers to demand accountability and transparency in judicial processes.
El-Rufai also condemned the National Assembly’s approval of a state of emergency in Rivers State via a voice vote, bypassing constitutional requirements for a two-thirds majority. He referenced the Supreme Court’s 2006–2007 rulings under Chief Justice Muhammadu Uwais, which curtailed executive overreach, and called on the current judiciary to uphold similar principles.
Addressing legal professionals, El-Rufai urged introspection: “The demand on you, as practitioners in the Temple of Justice, is to contemplate whether Justice is blind and holds the scales in balance.” He pushed for stronger ethical codes, merit-based judicial appointments, and reforms to funding mechanisms.
“Lawyers must lead the way in restoring the judiciary’s moral authority,” he stressed, warning that the NBA itself must root out mediocrity and election petition fraud within its ranks.
El-Rufai’s remarks align with surveys by Transparency International, which rank the judiciary among Nigeria’s least trusted institutions. His critique echoes past allegations by retired Supreme Court justices, revealing long-standing concerns about corruption.
In a related development, Chief Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, speaking at an induction for new magistrates, emphasized the need for “speed, integrity, and social responsiveness” in rulings, acknowledging that delays continue to erode public trust.
El-Rufai framed Nigeria’s challenges as a “critical juncture” akin to 2007, when economic potential was squandered by poor leadership. His speech reveals a deepening crisis of legitimacy in Nigeria’s governance structures, with the judiciary at its epicentre. As legal professionals gather for introspection, the question remains: Will the Bar and Bench rise to restore justice—or let the scales tip irrevocably toward power and privilege?
