The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has criticised the composition of the National Judicial Council (NJC), the body responsible for disciplining erring judicial officers.
The NBA argues that the current system, which requires the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) to head the Council, is flawed and impacts negatively on its ability to prosecute judicial misconduct, News About Nigeria reports.
The NBA has, however, recommended a new structure for the NJC, with members appointed from various groups, including judicial officers, lawyers, and non-lawyers.
In the recommendation, the NBA said the chairmanship should be rotated among the heads of these groups.
Additionally, the NBA proposes the appointment of court administrators to manage administrative functions, such as procurement and budgeting, to reduce corruption.
The NBA said, “These are activities within court administration that have severally been identified by the anti-corruption bodies as areas prone to corrupt activities.
“This proposal for the creation of this office takes cognizance of the role of the Chief Registrars of Courts, who, under the proposed arrangements, will, together with heads of courts, concentrate solely on the business of adjudication, especially case management, without distraction.”
The NBA also demands the delinking of judicial remuneration from civil service salaries to strengthen judicial independence.
These recommendations were made at the recent national summit on justice sector reforms, where the NBA’s proposals were considered and approved in modified form.
The summit also expressed concern about the CJN’s dual role as chairman of both the NJC and the Federal Judicial Service Commission and recommended reconstituting these bodies to ensure transparency and accountability.
According to Dr. Babatunde Ajibade (SAN), Chairman of the Joint Planning Committee, “There was a general consensus that there was a need to reconstitute or propose the reconstitution of these bodies, both the National Judicial Council and the Federal Judicial Service Commission.”
