CJN Cautions Judges Against Political Association Ahead 2027 Elections

By Ayodele Oni

As the 2026 Legal Year of the Supreme Court of Nigeria begins, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has cautioned Judges against political associations or conduct that could cast doubt on their impartiality as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections.

Kekere-Ekun gave the warning on Monday in Abuja during the opening of the 2026 Legal Year of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

She urged judicial officers to remain neutral when handling election-related disputes and avoid any actions that could suggest favouritism towards a political party or candidate.

The CJN noted that electoral disputes often attract intense political pressure because of their implications for candidates, political parties and the country.

She stressed that judges must remain calm, uphold the law and adhere strictly to their constitutional responsibilities.

“Judicial officers must remain conscious that every word they speak and every action they take during an electoral period will be subjected to scrutiny.”

Kekere-Ekun also urged lawyers to uphold professional standards when handling political and electoral cases, warning against forum shopping and the filing of similar cases before different courts in search of favourable outcomes.

According to her, such practices could result in conflicting court orders, undermine the judicial process and weaken public confidence in the justice system.

She called on legal practitioners to disclose related cases pending before other courts and respect their jurisdiction.

The CJN further warned that the increasing volume of election-related litigation could delay other cases awaiting determination, stressing that all litigants deserved timely access to justice regardless of the political significance of their cases.

On judicial appointments, Kekere-Ekun called for the protection of the processes managed by the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC).

 She said appointments must remain transparent and credible to sustain public confidence in the judiciary.

She explained that recent appointment processes had included structured assessments, professional and peer feedback, background checks and opportunities for public comments on shortlisted candidates.

However, she cautioned against turning the process into a platform for public condemnation or settling personal and professional disputes.

The Chief Justice also criticised the use of social media to threaten, harass or ridicule members of the legal profession.

She urged lawyers and other stakeholders to channel complaints about judgments or professional misconduct through established procedures rather than resorting to online attacks.

“The administration of justice cannot be left to anger, intimidation or trial by social media.”

Kekere-Ekun maintained that judges must be able to perform their duties without fear of retaliation, while lawyers should be free to present legitimate arguments without intimidation, adding that court officials also deserved protection from harassment.

Meanwhile, the CJN expressed satisfaction with the Supreme Court’s workload and output during the 2025/2026 Legal Year, while acknowledging the need for further improvements in the administration of justice.

She disclosed that the court handled 2,456 matters and delivered 411 judgments during the period, compared with 2,280 matters and 369 judgments and rulings in the preceding Legal Year.

The matters handled included civil and criminal motions, Sharia-related matters and appeals, including political appeals.

Kekere-Ekun said the figures reflected the court’s level of activity, but did not fully capture the challenges posed by delays and the growing number of pending cases.

She said the court has introduced case-management measures to improve efficiency and address outstanding matters.

Between March 23 and December 17, 2026, the E-Diary Office scheduled 1,385 matters for regular court sittings, comprising 1,021 motions and 364 appeals. Of these, 733 were older cases prioritised for hearing.

She added that the court disposed of 178 dormant matters in Chambers and identified 125 cases that had already been concluded, removing them from the active caseload.

The CJN said the measures were part of ongoing efforts to reduce delays, improve case management and ensure that pending matters receive timely attention as the judiciary prepares for another election cycle.