Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has warned judicial officers against political associations and conduct capable of compromising their impartiality ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Kekere-Ekun gave the warning on Monday in Abuja during the commencement of the 2026 Legal Year of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, stressing that judges must remain neutral in handling electoral disputes.
She said the judiciary must approach political cases with restraint, fairness and strict adherence to the law, given the potential consequences of electoral disputes for political parties, individuals and the country.
“Judicial officers must remain conscious that every word they speak and every action they take during an electoral period will be subjected to scrutiny,” she said.
The CJN urged judges to avoid political associations and conduct that could create an impression of bias, insisting that they must remain within the boundaries of their oath of office and the Constitution.
She also cautioned lawyers against forum shopping, multiple court actions and other practices capable of undermining the administration of justice during the election period.
According to her, deliberately instituting cases in courts perceived to be favourable to particular parties or filing multiple suits seeking similar reliefs could produce conflicting orders and damage public confidence in the judiciary.
Kekere-Ekun said the practice could create the impression that litigants were seeking favourable outcomes from particular courts rather than justice in accordance with the law.
She expressed concern that an excessive volume of political cases could overwhelm the courts and delay the determination of other legitimate disputes.
“The judiciary must remain available to all litigants, and the urgency or public prominence of political litigation should not come at the expense of other legitimate claims awaiting determination,” she said.
The CJN called on legal practitioners to exercise professional judgment before instituting proceedings, particularly where related cases were already pending before another court.
She stressed that lawyers had a duty to disclose related proceedings and respect the jurisdiction and processes of other courts, adding that their responsibility extended beyond securing immediate advantages for clients to protecting the integrity of the judicial system.
CJN seeks protection of judicial appointments
Kekere-Ekun also called for the protection of processes for appointing judicial officers, describing appointments as one of the most consequential responsibilities of the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC).
She said the selection process must be transparent and credible to sustain public confidence in the judiciary.
According to her, recent appointments have involved structured assessments, professional and peer feedback, background checks and opportunities for public comments on the integrity and professional reputation of shortlisted candidates.
However, she warned against the abuse of the process through public campaigns designed to settle personal disputes or professional scores.
The CJN also condemned the growing use of social media to subject judges, lawyers and judicial staff to personal attacks, threats, ridicule and harassment.
“There are proper channels for criticising judgments, reporting professional misconduct and complaining about the conduct of judicial officers or legal practitioners,” she said.
She maintained that judicial officers must be able to discharge their duties without fear of retaliation, while lawyers should be free to make legitimate submissions without intimidation.
Kekere-Ekun described the protection of professional dignity as a collective responsibility of the Bench and the Bar.
Supreme Court delivers 411 judgments
The CJN, meanwhile, expressed satisfaction with the Supreme Court’s performance during the 2025/2026 Legal Year, disclosing that the court handled 2,456 matters and delivered 411 judgments.
She said the matters comprised 1,179 general civil motions, 573 criminal motions, 13 Sharia-related motions and 676 appeals.
The appeals included 433 general civil appeals, 212 criminal appeals, 19 political appeals, 12 Sharia appeals and 10 originating summons.
Kekere-Ekun said the figures represented an increase in the court’s workload compared with the preceding legal year, when it handled 2,280 matters and delivered 369 judgments and rulings.
She, however, noted that the figures alone did not fully reflect the court’s performance, emphasising the need for effective case management to reduce delays and address the backlog of pending cases.
The CJN disclosed that between March 23 and December 17, 2026, the E-Diary Office scheduled 1,385 matters for regular sittings, comprising 1,021 motions and 364 appeals.
Of the cases scheduled, 733 were old matters deliberately brought forward for hearing, while 178 dormant cases were disposed of in chambers.
She added that 125 matters that had already been concluded were identified and removed from the active caseload.
Kekere-Ekun said the measures formed part of ongoing efforts to improve the administration of justice and ensure that cases were handled more efficiently.
