Former Senator Sola Akinyede, an experienced legal professional, has highlighted the critical need for a comprehensive structural overhaul of the Nigerian judicial system. Currently, Akinyede estimates that only a small fraction of the judiciary maintains integrity, a decline he describes as profoundly alarming. He argues that recent appointments of women to lead both the National Judicial Council and the Nigerian Bar Association offer a potential opportunity for positive change, drawing parallels to the impactful, incorruptible tenure of the late Justice Aloma Mukhtar.
Akinyede identifies the current composition of the National Judicial Council as a significant bottleneck. With the Chief Justice of Nigeria holding the authority to appoint a vast majority of its members, the council lacks the necessary independence to effectively discipline errant judicial officers. He suggests that the current system operates like an insular club, where internal accountability is stifled by centralized power. Furthermore, he criticizes the common use of technicalities by appellate courts to manufacture immunity, which he believes has eroded public confidence and enabled systemic corruption.
To address these challenges, Akinyede proposes a shift away from piece-meal changes toward constitutional surgery. He advocates for separating the headship of the National Judicial Council and the Federal Judicial Service Commission. Additionally, he suggests that appointments to the council should be diversified, incorporating representatives from labor unions or academic bodies rather than leaving the selection process primarily to one individual. He emphasizes that without these deep-rooted structural amendments, the integrity of the justice system remains vulnerable to the personal whims of future leadership.