CJN warns judges against conflicting rulings, forum shopping

From** Godwin Tsa, **Abuja

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has warned judges against conflicting judicial decisions, forum shopping and the abuse of ex parte orders in politically sensitive cases, insisting that electoral disputes must be determined strictly in accordance with the Constitution and the Electoral Act.

The CJN also directed heads of courts nationwide to enforce punctuality among judges, monitor compliance with sitting schedules and take disciplinary action against persistent or unjustified lateness, declaring that judicial officers must treat litigants and lawyers with dignity and respect.

Speaking yesterday at the opening of the 2026 Roundtable for Heads of Courts at the National Judicial Institute (NJI), Abuja, Kekere-Ekun expressed concern over attempts by litigants to manipulate judicial processes through multiple filings and conflicting orders from courts of coordinate jurisdiction.

She warned that such practices undermine the credibility of the Judiciary, encourage abuse of court processes and expose the institution to avoidable public controversy.

With the country approaching another election season, the CJN charged heads of courts to remain vigilant against forum shopping, concealment of related proceedings and attempts to secure conflicting judicial orders.

She directed judges to scrutinise applications carefully, insist on full and frank disclosure of material facts and resist attempts to exploit urgent applications or ex parte orders to obtain improper advantages.

According to her, political considerations, public sentiment and the perceived urgency of electoral disputes must never override established legal principles.

Election cases, she declared, must be handled “competently, expeditiously and strictly in accordance with the law.”

She stressed that neither political sensitivity nor public pressure should displace the careful application of the Constitution, the Electoral Act and applicable rules of court.

Turning to judicial discipline, Kekere-Ekun said punctuality must become a measurable standard of professional responsibility rather than an optional practice left to individual judges.

“Punctuality must be treated as a professional obligation, not a matter of personal preference,” she declared.

She directed heads of courts to communicate clear sitting times, monitor compliance and address persistent or unjustified lateness through established supervisory and disciplinary procedures.

The CJN condemned situations where lawyers and litigants travel considerable distances and incur substantial expenses, only to discover upon arrival that scheduled court proceedings have been cancelled without prior notice.

She described such occurrences as unacceptable and directed court authorities to establish dependable communication systems for notifying affected parties whenever sittings cannot hold.

According to her, court registries must have clearly designated officers responsible for notifications, identified communication channels and reliable procedures for confirming that lawyers and litigants have received the information.

She maintained that punctuality, effective communication and respectful treatment of court users were not minor administrative considerations but practical demonstrations of the Judiciary’s responsibility to the public.

On courtroom conduct, Kekere-Ekun reminded judges that judicial authority is best exercised with “fairness, composure and respect.”

She said every litigant, irrespective of social status, financial circumstances or educational background, deserves dignified treatment, while lawyers must be accorded professional courtesy.

Firmness and courtesy, she emphasised, “are entirely compatible,” adding that judges can maintain effective control of proceedings without humiliating lawyers or litigants.

Addressing delays in justice delivery, the CJN expressed concern that prolonged litigation continues to impose financial and emotional burdens on Nigerians while weakening public confidence in the courts.

Although she acknowledged challenges arising from inadequate funding, infrastructure and manpower, she identified inefficient case management, repeated adjournments, poor scheduling and failure to monitor inactive cases as avoidable contributors to judicial delays.

She directed every head of court to maintain accurate knowledge of the number and age of pending cases, identify the causes of delay and institute measures to improve case disposal.

However, she cautioned against measuring judicial efficiency solely by the number of cases concluded, insisting that efforts to accelerate proceedings must not compromise the constitutional right to fair hearing.

On judicial appointments, Kekere-Ekun urged heads of courts to “strongly and courageously” resist external interference and pressure, stressing that appointments must be guided by merit, competence, character and suitability.

She said transparent and credible selection processes remained essential to safeguarding judicial independence and sustaining public confidence.

The CJN also disclosed that the Supreme Court commenced implementation of the Nigerian Case Management System (NCMS) on July 1, 2026, as part of efforts to modernise judicial administration.

According to her, the system has been adopted by the High Courts of Borno, Bayelsa, Delta, Niger, Taraba and Ebonyi states, as well as the Lagos Judicial Division of the Federal High Court.

She urged heads of courts yet to embrace the platform to identify obstacles delaying adoption and take practical steps towards implementation.

Kekere-Ekun, however, cautioned that technology alone would not deliver judicial reforms without adequate staff training, effective supervision, cybersecurity safeguards and proper protection of judicial records.

On the increasing application of artificial intelligence in legal processes, she warned that judicial officers “must retain independent responsibility for their decisions” and ensure that the deployment of such technologies complies with the law, professional ethics and procedural fairness.

She also called for sustained investment in registrars, research officers, administrative personnel and information technology staff, noting that efficient justice delivery depends on the competence of the entire court workforce.

The CJN urged courts nationwide to introduce structured mentorship programmes under which newly appointed judges would work with experienced judicial officers for a defined period before sitting independently.

She further directed heads of courts to maintain professional working environments free from bullying and harassment.

Kekere-Ekun challenged participants to leave the roundtable with practical and measurable commitments covering case management, punctuality, communication with court users, courtroom conduct, digital transformation, judicial welfare and professional discipline.

Progress, she said, should be assessed “not merely by the directives issued, but by the changes those directives produce in the daily operation of the courts.”

Earlier, the Administrator of the NJI, Babatunde Adejumo, said the Judiciary, as custodian of justice and guardian of the rule of law, remains under constant public scrutiny.

He urged heads of courts to recognise their responsibility for protecting the institution’s image and strengthening public confidence in the administration of justice.

Adejumo explained that the annual roundtable was designed to encourage frank discussions, identify common challenges and develop practical solutions to problems confronting the Judiciary.

He said the programme deliberately provided for minimal external intervention to enable heads of courts to direct deliberations and determine outcomes.

He commended the CJN for reforms aimed at strengthening judicial independence and integrity and acknowledged the contributions of the NJI Board of Governors’ Education Committee, chaired by Supreme Court Justice John Inyang Okoro, alongside the programme’s session managers and facilitators.

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