DG of US law institute asks Tinubu to review process of appointing judges

Cyprian Edward-Ekpo, director-general, Institute of Law Research and Development of United Nations (ILAWDUN), US, has asked President Bola Tinubu to cleanse the judiciary of corruption and negative perceptions.

In a statement issued on Friday, Edward-Ekpo said it is imperative to restore the positive image of the judiciary in the eye of the global community.

He said certain practices and activities in the judiciary bring ridicule to the country. 

“The law in Nigeria has lost a constructional role as a guidance and protector of a stable and democratic system, promoting a systemic mass toward desecration of the temple of justice and state’s destruction,” the statement reads.

“Beyond debates, this judo-moral crisis demands a critical-mass response.

The professor asked the National Judicial Council (NJC) to set up a committee of revered retired judges to review “controversial” judgments handed down by some courts and tribunals.

According to him, the committee should receive reports/petitions of “glaring disproportionate judgments”, review them and invite the judges for questioning where their judgments are found wanting.

“Two factors stand as causal elements to the problem of Nigeria’s judiciary. They include intellectual poverty of some judges and corruption,” he said.

“The process of which appointment of judges are made should be reviewed forthwith,” he said.

Edward-Ekpo said there should be “due consideration to creating a mechanism for only the best brains and tested characters to be appointed into the bench”.

The professor asked the president to send an executive bill to the national assembly, on tackling judicial corruption and enhancing the integrity and independence of the judiciary, within the framework of the constitution.