Avoid ‘Romance’ With Politicians – CJN Warns Judges Ahead Of 2027 Elections

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has warned judges against actions or associations that could raise doubts about their neutrality as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections.

Kekere-Ekun said judicial officers must remain impartial when handling election-related disputes and avoid any conduct that could suggest they favour a political party or candidate.

Naija News reports that the CJN gave the warning on Monday in Abuja during the opening of the 2026 Legal Year of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

The CJN said election disputes often attract strong emotions and political pressure because of their possible effects on individuals, political parties and the country.

She stressed that judges must handle such cases with calmness and remain committed to the law, just as they would in other disputes.

“Judicial officers must remain conscious that every word they speak and every action they take during an electoral period will be subjected to scrutiny,” she said.

Kekere-Ekun urged judges to exercise restraint, avoid political associations and stay within the limits of their oath of office and the Constitution.

She also called on lawyers to show greater professional responsibility when filing cases arising from political and electoral disputes.

According to her, forum shopping, which involves choosing a court believed to be favourable to a party or filing similar cases in different courts, can lead to conflicting orders and undermine the judicial process.

She warned that such practices could also create the impression that litigants were seeking a particular outcome from a preferred court rather than justice according to the law.

The CJN further expressed concern that a large number of political cases could slow down the hearing of other matters pending before the courts.

She said the urgency and public attention surrounding election disputes should not prevent other litigants from getting timely justice.

Kekere-Ekun urged lawyers to disclose related cases already pending before other courts and respect the jurisdiction and processes of those courts.

She added that the responsibility of legal practitioners went beyond securing immediate benefits for their clients to protecting the integrity of the justice system.

CJN Seeks Protection For Judicial Appointments

The Supreme Court head also called for the protection of the processes used to appoint judicial officers, describing the responsibility handled by the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) as highly important.

She said the process must be transparent and credible enough to earn public confidence because judges exercise constitutional authority on behalf of the people.

Kekere-Ekun said recent appointments had involved structured assessments, professional and peer feedback, background checks and an opportunity for members of the public to comment on the integrity and professional reputation of shortlisted candidates.

However, she warned that the process must not be abused or turned into a platform for public trials and the settlement of personal or professional disagreements.

The CJN also condemned the growing use of social media to attack, ridicule, threaten and harass people in the legal profession.

She said complaints about judgments, professional misconduct or the behaviour of judicial officers and lawyers should be handled through the proper channels.

“The administration of justice cannot be left to anger, intimidation or trial by social media,” she said.

Kekere-Ekun maintained that judges must be able to decide cases without fear of retaliation, while lawyers should be free to make legitimate submissions without intimidation.

She added that court staff should also be able to perform their duties without harassment, stressing that protecting the dignity of the legal profession was a shared responsibility of the Bench and the Bar.

Meanwhile, Kekere-Ekun expressed satisfaction with the Supreme Court’s performance during the 2025/2026 Legal Year, although she said more work was needed to improve the administration of justice.

She disclosed that the court handled 2,456 matters during the period and delivered 411 judgments.

The matters included 1,179 general civil motions, 573 criminal motions, 13 Sharia-related motions and 676 appeals.

The appeals comprised 433 general civil appeals, 212 criminal appeals, 19 political appeals, 12 Sharia appeals and 10 originating summons.

She compared the figures with the preceding Legal Year, when the court handled 2,280 matters and delivered 369 judgments and rulings.

The CJN said the figures showed the level of activity at the court but did not fully capture the work required to address delays and the growing number of pending cases.

She recalled that during the previous Legal Year’s opening, she had highlighted the need for deliberate case-management measures to reduce delays and clear outstanding matters.

Kekere-Ekun said the court had since taken steps to address the challenge.

She disclosed that between March 23 and December 17, 2026, the E-Diary Office scheduled 1,385 matters for regular court sittings, including 1,021 motions and 364 appeals. Of the cases scheduled, 733 were old matters deliberately brought forward for hearing.

The court also disposed of 178 dormant matters in Chambers and identified 125 cases that had already been concluded, removing them from the active pool.

The CJN said the measures formed part of efforts to improve case management and ensure that pending matters received attention.