Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has said the process for appointment of judges in the country is becoming more open and transparent.
A statement by Mr. Tobi Soniyi, media aide to the CJN, said Kekere-Ekun made the observation while presenting a paper, titled, “Innovations in Judicial Practice: Embracing Change for a Better Future,” at the Commonwealth Magistrates and Judges’ Association Triennial Conference held in Banjul, capital of The Gambia.
National Judicial Council (NJC), at its 108th meeting held between April 29 and 30, had approved a landmark policy to publish the names of candidates under consideration for appointment as judicial officers while at the same time inviting the public for contribution.
Kekere-Ekun, who is also the chairman of NJC, in her presentation, told the gathering that the policy adopted by NJC was to introduce an additional layer of transparency into the process of judges’ appointment.
The move, according to the CJN, was to ensure that members of the public and other relevant stakeholders were able to raise objections, provide information, or endorse nominees before appointments were finalised.
In addition, she said the move was a deliberate effort to strengthen accountability, enhance public trust, and align Nigeria’s appointment procedures more closely with international best practices, including those recommended in the Constitution Hill Guidelines.
The Constitution Hill Global Guidelines on Apex Court Appointments, published in September 2024, provide globally a set of baseline principles tailored to the singular role of apex courts as the final arbiters of constitutional interpretation and guardians of democratic governance.
Kekere-Ekun stated that members of the public were already taking advantage of the initiative, as shown in the last exercise for the appointment of judicial officers conducted by NJC.
“In a plural society such as Nigeria, with over 200 million citizens across different ethnic, religious, and linguistic identities, the visibility of diversity on the Supreme Court bench strengthens public confidence and assures citizens that the judiciary reflects the society it serves,” the statement quoted the CJN as saying.
Kekere-Ekun, however, admitted that there were still some challenges, despite several efforts to strengthen appointment of judicial officers, adding that some of the challenges include executive delays in acting on recommendations for appointment made by NJC, which could impair the court’s capacity to sit at full strength.
She added that other challenges included the requirement for security vetting and the interpretation of Federal Character requirements, which often sparked debate about whether merit was being compromised for inclusivity.
The CJN assured the audience, among whom were Chief Justices of Commonwealth countries, that Nigeria will continue to appoint to the bench only people who satisfied constitutional, professional, and ethical standards.
Kekere-Ekun, while in The Gambia, also visited the Nigeria High Commission in Banjul, where she was received by the chargé d’affaires, Muhammed Mainasara Usman; Head of Chancery, Amali Musa; and other staff of the commission.
Alex Enumah
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