By Our Reporter
Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has warned judges across the country against allowing politicians to manipulate the judicial system to gain undue advantage ahead of the 2027 general elections.
She urged heads of courts to remain vigilant against forum shopping, concealment of related proceedings and attempts by litigants to secure conflicting orders from courts of coordinate jurisdiction.
The CJN gave the warning on Monday in Abuja during the opening session of the 2026 roundtable for heads of courts, organised by the National Judicial Institute (NJI).
She said the challenges required particular attention as Nigeria approaches another election season, when disputes involving political parties, candidates and electoral processes are expected to place considerable pressure on the judiciary.
According to her, election-related cases often attract intense public interest, making it imperative for judges to remain impartial and firmly committed to the Constitution and the rule of 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,” she said.
Kekere-Ekun called on heads of courts to establish appropriate administrative arrangements for the timely and orderly handling of election-related disputes.
She also urged judicial officers to scrutinise applications carefully, demand full disclosure of relevant facts and pay close attention to related proceedings before issuing orders.
The CJN cautioned against the misuse of urgent applications and ex-parte orders to obtain improper advantages, stressing that political interests must not compromise the integrity of judicial proceedings.
She described forum shopping as particularly damaging to the justice system because it encourages abuse of court processes, undermines consistency in judicial decisions and exposes the judiciary to avoidable public controversy.
“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 stated.
The head of the judiciary further emphasised that election petitions and other politically sensitive cases must be determined competently, expeditiously and strictly in accordance with the law.
Beyond election-related litigation, Kekere-Ekun identified delays in the administration of justice as one of the major challenges confronting the judiciary.
She noted that prolonged court proceedings impose financial and emotional burdens on litigants, reduce the practical value of judicial remedies and weaken public confidence in the justice system.
While acknowledging that inadequate funding, infrastructure and judicial manpower contribute to delays, she said some of the problems could be addressed through more effective court administration.
She identified inefficient docket management, repeated adjournments, poor scheduling and inadequate monitoring of inactive cases as practices that unnecessarily prolong litigation.
The CJN urged heads of courts to maintain accurate records of pending cases, including their age, categories and reasons for delays, to guide efforts to reduce backlogs and improve the allocation of hearing dates.
However, she stressed that judicial efficiency should not be measured solely by the number of cases disposed of, but also by whether they are decided fairly, competently and within a reasonable period, with the right to a fair hearing protected.
On judicial appointments, Kekere-Ekun called for transparent, fair and merit-based selection processes, urging heads of courts to resist external pressure and ensure appointments were based on competence, character and suitability for judicial office.
She said public confidence in the judiciary depended partly on the credibility of the processes through which judicial officers were appointed.
The CJN also directed heads of courts to introduce measures to ensure judges commence sittings on time and notify lawyers and litigants promptly whenever scheduled proceedings are cancelled.
Describing it as unacceptable for lawyers and litigants to travel long distances at considerable expense only to discover that a court would not sit, she urged court administrators to monitor compliance with sitting schedules and address persistent lateness through established supervisory and disciplinary procedures.
She further called for courtesy and respect in courtroom proceedings, noting that judges could exercise authority firmly without humiliating lawyers or litigants.
Earlier, the Administrator of the NJI, Justice Babatunde Adejumo, said the judiciary remained under constant public scrutiny because of its responsibility as custodian of justice and guardian of the rule of law.
Adejumo said the annual roundtable provided an opportunity for heads of courts to discuss common challenges, exchange ideas and develop practical solutions to strengthen judicial administration.
He also commended the CJN for reforms which, according to him, had promoted judicial independence and strengthened integrity across the different levels of the judiciary.