As the nation approaches another election season, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has urged judges, particularly heads of courts, to be vigilant against practices capable of undermining the integrity of judicial proceedings.
Kekere-Ekun identified such practices as forum shopping, concealment of related proceedings and attempts to obtain conflicting orders from courts of coordinate jurisdiction.
The CJN spoke in Abuja on Monday during the opening session of the 2026 Roundtable for Heads of Courts, organised by the National Judicial Institute (NJI). She said the issues required particular attention as the country approached another election season, noting that election-related disputes often attracted intense public interest and considerable pressure on the courts.
According to her, “The Judiciary must be prepared to discharge its constitutional responsibilities with impartiality, courage and fidelity to the law.
“Political sensitivity, public sentiment or the urgency with which a matter is presented must never displace the careful application of the Constitution, the Electoral Act and the applicable rules of court.
“I urge your lordships to ensure that appropriate administrative arrangements are in place to facilitate the timely and orderly handling of election-related matters.
“Judicial officers must be reminded of the need to scrutinise applications carefully, insist on full and frank disclosure of relevant facts, pay due regard to related proceedings and resist any attempt to use urgent applications or ex-parte orders to secure an improper advantage.
“The integrity of judicial proceedings must not be compromised by competing political interests or pressure from any quarter. Forum shopping is particularly damaging because it undermines consistency, encourages abuse of process and exposes the Judiciary to avoidable public controversy.
“Your Lordships must therefore ensure that existing procedural safeguards are observed and that appropriate steps are taken whenever attempts to circumvent established judicial processes come to light.
“No litigant should be permitted to manipulate the judicial system in search of a favourable decision. Public confidence in the Judiciary will be tested during this period,” she said.
The CJN reminded heads of courts that they were expected to provide the leadership necessary to ensure that election-related cases were handled competently, expeditiously and strictly in accordance with the law.
She said the objective was to ensure that the courts remained impartial arbiters of disputes, free from political influence and guided solely by the facts, the applicable law and the demands of justice.
Kekere-Ekun stressed the need for judges to ensure the prompt determination of cases, noting that delays remained one of the most pressing challenges confronting the Judiciary.
She said delays imposed financial and emotional burdens on litigants, diminished the practical value of judicial remedies and weakened public confidence in the justice system.
The CJN added that while some causes of delay arose from inadequate funding, infrastructure and judicial manpower, others could be addressed through effective administration.
“Inefficient docket management, repeated adjournments, poor scheduling and failure to monitor inactive cases can prolong proceedings unnecessarily.
“Every Head of Court should have a clear understanding of the condition of the court’s docket, including the number of pending cases, their age, the categories experiencing the greatest delays and the reasons for their continued pendency.
“This information should inform realistic strategies for reducing backlog, improving the allocation of hearing dates and ensuring that concluded matters are promptly removed from the active docket.
“Efficiency, however, must not be measured solely by the number of cases disposed of. It requires cases to be determined fairly, competently and within a reasonable time, with the right to fair hearing fully protected,” she said.
Kekere-Ekun also stressed the need to preserve the integrity of judicial appointments through a fair, transparent and merit-based selection process.
She urged heads of courts to “strongly and courageously resist pressure from external interests and ensure that appointments are guided by objective criteria, competence, character and suitability for judicial office.
“Public confidence in the Judiciary depends, in part, on the assurance that those entrusted with judicial office have emerged through rigorous and credible processes.
“Your Lordships also have an important role in promoting professional standards, supporting the development of judicial officers and fostering an institutional culture that upholds impartiality and accountability.”
The CJN directed heads of courts to put mechanisms in place to ensure that judges sat on time, litigants and lawyers were promptly notified when sittings were cancelled, and court users were treated with dignity.
Heads of courts, she said, must communicate clear sitting times, monitor compliance and address persistent or unjustified lateness through established supervisory and disciplinary channels.
Kekere-Ekun described as unacceptable situations in which counsel and parties travelled long distances at considerable expense, only to learn on arrival that the court would not sit.
She urged heads of courts to ensure that registries had reliable procedures specifying the officers responsible for notifications, the channels to be used and how to confirm that affected parties had been informed.
The CJN called for sustained investment in court staff, including registrars, research staff, administrative officers and IT personnel. She also urged all jurisdictions to adopt structured mentorship programmes under which newly appointed judges would be attached to experienced judicial officers for a defined period before sitting independently.
Speaking earlier, the Administrator of the NJI, Justice Babatunde Adejumo, said the Judiciary, as custodian of justice and guardian of the rule of law, was under constant public scrutiny. This placed a heavy responsibility on those steering its affairs to safeguard its image and shape positive public perceptions.
Adejumo, the immediate past President of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), said the annual roundtable provided a platform for candid exchanges, the identification of cross-cutting challenges and the collective development of solutions.
He added that the programme was deliberately designed to minimise external intervention, allowing heads of courts to direct discussions and determine outcomes.
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