Alex Enumah in Abuja 

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has said that the process for the appointment of judges in the country is becoming more open and transparent. 

A statement by the media aide to the CJN, Mr. Tobi Soniyi, said Kekere-Ekun made the above 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.

The 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.

Meanwhile, Kekere-Ekun, who is also the chairman of the NJC, in her presentation, told the gathering that the policy adopted by the NJC was to introduce an additional layer of transparency into the process of appointing judges.

The move, according to the CJN, is to ensure that members of the public and other relevant stakeholders are able to raise objections, provide information, or endorse nominees before appointments are finalized. 

She also said that the move is 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 for 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.

Justice Kekere-Ekun noted that members of the public are already taking advantage of the initiative as shown in the last exercise for the appointment of judicial officers conducted by the 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 are still some challenges, despite several efforts to strengthen the appointment of judicial officers, adding that some of the challenges include executive delays in acting on recommendations for appointments made by the NJC, which, she said, could impair the court’s capacity to sit at full strength.

Other challenges, she added, include the requirement for security vetting and the interpretation of federal character requirements, which often sparks debate about whether merit is being compromised for inclusivity.

The CJN however assured the audience, among whom were Chief Justices of Commonwealth countries, that Nigeria will continue to appoint to the bench only people who satisfy constitutional, professional and ethical standards.

Justice 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 Usma; Head of Chancery, Amali Musa and other members of staff of the commission.

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