Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has cautioned judges against close relationships with political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections, urging them to uphold impartiality in election-related disputes.
She gave the warning on Monday in Abuja at the opening of the Supreme Court’s 2026 legal year, noting that election periods often generate intense political activities and disputes with far-reaching consequences.
Kekere-Ekun urged judicial officers to apply the law strictly and avoid conduct that could cast doubt on their neutrality. She also criticised forum shopping and the filing of multiple suits seeking similar outcomes, warning that the practices could produce conflicting court orders and erode public confidence.
She called on lawyers to disclose related cases pending before other courts and follow established procedures, adding that politically motivated litigation could delay other cases.
The CJN also stressed the need for transparent judicial appointments, highlighting the roles of the National Judicial Council (NJC) and Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC). She said recent selection processes included candidate assessments, background checks, professional feedback and public comments on shortlisted candidates.
However, she warned against using the process to settle personal disputes or tarnish legal professionals’ reputations.
Kekere-Ekun further condemned social media attacks, threats and harassment targeting judges, lawyers and judicial staff, urging stakeholders to use established channels to challenge judgments and report misconduct.
Providing an update on the Supreme Court’s performance, she said it handled 2,456 matters and delivered 411 judgments during the 2025/2026 legal year, compared with 369 judgments and rulings from 2,280 matters in the preceding year.
The matters comprised 1,179 general civil motions, 573 criminal motions, 13 Sharia-related motions and 676 appeals.
The appeals included 433 general civil cases, 212 criminal cases, 19 political appeals, 12 Sharia appeals and 10 originating summons.
Despite the increase in judgments, the CJN acknowledged the need to reduce delays in the administration of justice.
She disclosed that the court’s E-Diary Office had scheduled 1,385 matters for regular sittings between March 23 and December 17, 2026. These included 1,021 motions and 364 appeals.
Of the scheduled matters, 733 were older cases brought forward for hearing, while 178 inactive cases were resolved in chambers. Another 125 concluded cases were removed from the list of active matters.
