‘WE NEED MERIT-BASED SYSTEM FOR APPOINTMENT OF JUDGES,’ SAYS ETIGWE UWA

CITY LAWYER AGENDA FOR JUSTICE SECTOR REFORM SERIES

Nigeria’s justice sector is beset by a myriad of challenges ranging from delay in administration of justice to heavy dockets that confront increasingly overworked judicial officers.

Other issues include lack of judicial autonomy and inadequate resources, poor investigation, overhang in the awaiting trial population and low level of adoption of technology and innovation, to name a few.

Against the backdrop of these longstanding challenges and the swearing-in of a new Attorney General and Minister of Justice, CITY LAWYER asked eminent Bar Leaders and justice sector stakeholders to plot a blueprint on the priorities to be tackled by the new Chief Law Officer.

MR. ETIGWE UWA SAN has an established reputation as an authority in Nigerian aviation law. He was Lead Counsel responsible for drafting the Civil Aviation Act and the subsequent declarations made by Nigeria in pursuance of the Cape Town Convention. He has an established reputation as an authority in Nigerian aviation law and was lead counsel responsible for drafting the Civil Aviation Act and the subsequent declarations made by Nigeria in pursuance of the Cape Town Convention. He has also represented various clients in several notable dispute resolution transactions.

THE BLUEPRINT

  • The Attorney General and Minister of Justice needs to focus on restoring faith in the justice delivery system. Judicial officers are grossly under remunerated. He needs to work to ensure there is real financial autonomy for the judiciary and that judges welfare is prioritized.
  • He needs to enforce the rule of law and observe zero tolerance for disobedience to court orders.
  • The appointment process for judicial officers has to be completely overhauled. A merit based system which reduces to the barest minimum the observance of federal character in respect of appellate court appointments so that any judge who makes it to the High Court of his state should compete on a level playing field for appointment to the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court using merit based selection criteria and processes.
  • The law enforcement and prosecution powers should not be concentrated in one agency or authority. He needs to champion the respect for human rights and focus on recommending executive bills which if passed into law would promote business and foreign investment.

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