A coalition of Civil Society Organizations has called for the Supreme Court be more responsible in managing their funds and budgets to achieve judicial independence.
The coalition made the call in a statement Thursday citing “problems of financial mismanagement and irregularity” raised in a petition by 14 Supreme Court justices in the run-up to the resignation of the former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN). Tanko Muhammad.
Muhammad resigned from his position as CJN on June 27, citing health problems.
His 14 colleagues on the Supreme Court bench had accused him the week before he resigned of running afoul of the high court.
The jurists said that the ex-CJN deprived them of their legitimate rights while financing their relatives’ personal trips abroad amid operational difficulties that threatened the efficient administration of justice.
Muhammad’s abrupt departure paved the way for Olukayode Ariwoolathe next highest ranking judge, to be appointed interim CJN.
In a statement issued jointly by 45 CSOs on Thursday, the coalition praised the 14 Supreme Court justices for their courage in raising the alarm about the crisis on the court.
“We must not lose sight of the critical issues of financial mismanagement and irregularity raised in the Supreme Court justices’ petition,” the CSOs said.
The coalition urged the Supreme Court to professionalize the court’s financial management to ensure the independence of the judiciary.
“The high court should, as a matter of necessity, explore the professionalization of court administration in such a way as to address legitimate concerns regarding the accountability of the Judiciary for funds allocated to it, with adequate budgeting and discipline. that prioritizes needs; against the need to ensure that the independence of the judiciary is not undermined or eroded.
“Therefore, we urge the court to have competent professionals with the ability to manage and administer complex business organizations, while allowing court officials to focus on their primary responsibility of delivering justice,” the statement said.
Some of the CSOs include: Accountability Lab, Nigeria, African Center for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD), African Center for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), Almajiri Child Right Initiative (ACRI), Associated for Democratic Citizens (ADC) , and Borno Coalition for Democracy and Progress (BOCODEP)
Others include: BudgIT Foundation, Center for Accountability and Inclusive Development (CAAID), Center for Community Excellence (CENCEX), Center for Impact Advocacy (CiA), Center for Social Justice, Change Managers International Network, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Center (CISLAC) and CLEAN Foundation.
The group noted that “the lack of transparency and accountability in the judiciary” has shown that its “processes are vulnerable to manipulation.”
Emphasizing the need for transparency, CSOs said that the upcoming elections will require the judiciary to uphold the will of citizens, as failure to do so amounts to a loss of confidence in the results of electoral petitions.
‘The judiciary must be independent’
Calling for a more transparent hiring process for judges, CSOs said the 10-year post-appointment criterion is no longer sufficient, adding: “There is…a need for pre-established and publicly announced processes that will ensure that judges are obtained. best candidates. in accordance with a consistent and transparent process.
They recommended the Kenyan judicial model that emphasizes a “vetting process for judges, in which an independent board of Kenyan lawyers, civil society leaders and foreign judges review the records of each serving judicial officer to determine whether he or she is fit to remain in office. the bank.”
They also called for the independence of the judiciary and asked the National Assembly to take the necessary legislative measures “to achieve the necessary legislative reforms to guarantee the true independence of the judiciary.”
The statement urged the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to engage with the leadership of the judiciary to root out corruption.