On September 21, 2022, the Senate confirmed Justice Olukayode Ariwoola as the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).
After reaching the age of retirement, the CJN signed off with alleged corruption, abuse of office, and a disregard for the principles of fairness and justice. The Civil rights group, the Human Rights Association, and some members of the judicial arm accused him, describing him as the worst CJN ever.
On August 18, Nigerian media brought to the fore some of the CJN’s critiqued footsteps by filling up the National Judicial Council (NJC) with his family members. Justice Ariwoola appointed his son as a judge of the Federal High Court and his daughter-in-law as a judge of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, among other family members, in less than two years in office.
The practice of promoting nepotism and favoritism has been strongly condemned by a large number of Nigerians and Civil Society Organisations that have asked him to resign.
According to this group, Justice Olukayode “breached (iv) and other extant provisions of the Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers, when he appointed his son, Olukayode Ariwoola Junior, as a Judge of the Federal High Court, and nominated his daughter, Oluwakemi Victoria Ariwoola, as a Judge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court.”
More often than not, many Nigerians have expressed disappointment and lack of trust in the judiciary. For instance, in March 2023, when the CJN traveled for medicals, many Nigerians believed that he went to meet President Tinubu in the United Kingdom while disguised in a wheelchair.
Immediately after President Tinubu was declared the winner of the February 25 presidential election, different speculations about the judicial arms of government have sufficed. According to Dataphyte, the issues bordering on the election petitions such as lack of transparency are one and have led to loss of confidence in the Nigerian courts.
Similarly, a report released by the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reveals corruption within the judiciary system of the government. According to the report, Nigerian public officials received at least N721 billion in bribes in 2023, with judges being the highest recipients.
Regarding fairness and justice, a human rights group turned to Justice Olukayode to save the face of the judiciary, especially in a conflicting court order on the Emir of Kano stool.
The demands of the group include that the CJN act in his capacity to save the face and name of the judiciary from setting a bad record against the rule of law, and the abuse of power and office must be investigated and punishable by the CJN. The President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. Yakubu Chonoko, likewise frowned against the court orders.
Despite several human rights laws that have been violated under the retired Justice Ariwoola, the newly appointed CJN, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, also has some questionable actions. In Feb. 2023, after the Supreme Court ruling of the disputed Imo governorship election, Justice Kudirat was reportedly denied a visa to the United States of America. Her offense, as succinctly put, was reading the ruling.
The ruling “nullified the governorship election of Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and declared Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the rightful winner of the exercise.”
Justice Kudirat was handed down as a qualified candidate for the position of CJN by Justice Ariwoola as his successor and subsequently appointed by President Tinubu on August 23.
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