The warning by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, against politicians manipulating the judiciary ahead of the 2027 general elections is both timely and necessary. Her concerns reflect the troubling experiences of previous election cycles, when the conduct of some judicial officers and lawyers raised serious questions about the integrity of the justice system and its susceptibility to political interference.
Speaking at the 2026 Roundtable for Heads of Courts in Abuja, the CJN specifically identified forum shopping, concealment of related proceedings and attempts to obtain conflicting orders from courts of coordinate jurisdiction as practices capable of undermining judicial integrity. She urged judges to scrutinise applications carefully, demand full disclosure of relevant facts and resist attempts to use urgent applications and ex-parte orders to secure improper advantages.
At Daily Trust, we agree entirely with the CJN. The judiciary cannot afford to become an instrument in the hands of desperate politicians seeking to circumvent the electoral process or secure through the courts what they may not achieve at the ballot box. The courts are constitutionally mandated to adjudicate disputes impartially, not to provide convenient escape routes for politicians unwilling to play by the rules. Their decisions must be guided by the law and evidence, not political interests, pressure or inducements.
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However, while the CJN's warning is commendable, we call on her, as head of the judiciary, to look beyond advising judicial officers and heads of courts. There is a need for introspection and a more decisive institutional response to the conduct of judges who make themselves available for manipulation by politicians. The existence of the National Judicial Council (NJC), with its disciplinary responsibilities, should ensure that such conduct does not go unchecked.
It is not enough to periodically remind judges of their responsibilities, particularly when there have already been several instances of questionable judicial interventions in the country's democratic process. The NJC must consistently wield the big stick against judicial officers found culpable of compromising their offices. While disciplinary sanctions, including dismissal, are necessary, we believe the council must go a step further by referring cases involving suspected criminal conduct to the appropriate security and law enforcement agencies for investigation and prosecution.
This is important because the problem may extend beyond individual judicial officers. There is a need to expose and dismantle the networks of politicians, lawyers, intermediaries and other actors who facilitate the manipulation of judicial processes during election seasons. Merely dismissing a compromised judge without investigating the circumstances and possible collaborators leaves the wider machinery of corruption intact. Accountability must therefore extend to everyone involved, regardless of position or influence.
The recent intervention by retired Supreme Court Justice Amina Augie reinforces this concern. Speaking at the 40th anniversary of the Nigerian Law School Class of 1986, she described corruption as a practice that, wherever it exists on the Bench, at the Bar or in the Registry, "poisons everything by turning the one place that a citizen should find impartiality into one more market stall."
More tellingly, she warned that the misconduct of a few senior members of the legal profession carries consequences for the entire institution. "When a few senior members of the profession have been found to traffic in the corruption of justice, the damage is not to them alone; it stains the gown we all wear," she said. She rightly argued that restoring public confidence is not a public relations exercise but requires a profession willing to discipline its own members "without fear or favour, no matter how senior the offender may be".
We particularly agree with this position. The legal profession must recognise that it is part of the problem and must also be part of the solution. Politicians cannot successfully manipulate judicial processes without the active connivance or professional assistance of unscrupulous lawyers. The concerns identified by the CJN, particularly forum shopping, concealment of related proceedings and attempts to obtain conflicting orders from courts of coordinate jurisdiction, cannot be addressed by judges alone. Lawyers who initiate, facilitate or encourage such abuses must also be held accountable.
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) must demonstrate greater resolve in identifying and sanctioning practitioners who bring the profession into disrepute. Professional standing, seniority or political connections must not shield anyone found guilty of misconduct. Justice Augie's reminder that a lawyer's duty extends beyond the interests of a client to the court and the administration of justice deserves particular attention as the country approaches another election season.
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Ultimately, the responsibility for preserving the integrity of the judiciary rests on all stakeholders. Politicians must desist from treating the courts as an extension of their political battlegrounds. Lawyers must uphold their professional ethics, while judicial officers must demonstrate the courage and independence expected of their offices. The NJC, NBA and LPDC must also show that their disciplinary mechanisms are capable of holding erring members accountable.
It is therefore our considered conclusion that, as the 2027 general elections approach, the judiciary must not merely assure Nigerians of its impartiality; it must earn their confidence through its conduct and decisions. The CJN has sounded the warning. The time has come to match those words with concrete action. Nigeria's democracy cannot afford a judiciary whose integrity is continually called into question.
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