Legal experts and academics have faulted a recent court judgment seeking to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister some opposition political parties, describing the move as legally questionable and reflective of deeper concerns within Nigeria’s justice system.
The jurists spoke in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, during the annual Law Dinner organised by the Faculty of Law, Chrisland University, for undergraduate students. The event, themed “The Radiance,” provided a platform for discussions on legal ethics, professionalism and the future of justice administration in Nigeria.
Commenting on the judgment, the legal scholars described it as an aberration that deviates from established legal principles and judicial hierarchy. A former Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, Justice Oladeinde Soremi, expressed concern over what he described as declining institutional standards and growing public distrust in the administration of justice.
“Seeing what is happening these days is very sad. I heard about one judgment two or three days ago, and I felt like weeping,” Soremi said. “The institutions are still there, but they are no longer doing what they used to do. When people ask why there is corruption in the administration of justice, we must remember that everyone is part of the justice system.”
He stressed that allegations of corruption within the judiciary should be properly reported, urging citizens to identify and expose any judicial officer involved in unethical conduct. “If somebody takes money, he has a name. Let them mention it. I am sure the Judicial Service Commission will not look at it lightly,” he added.
Justice Soremi also charged aspiring lawyers to uphold discipline, integrity and good character as they prepare to join the legal profession.
Speaking on the controversial judgment, the Dean of the College of Law, Chrisland University, Dr. Kayode Akinsola, said the institution remained committed to producing lawyers who would contribute meaningfully to nation-building. “We are not just producing lawyers; we are producing lawyers of value and integrity. Justice for one must be justice for all, with equity and equality before the law,” he said.
Akinsola lamented what he described as the gradual erosion of public confidence in Nigeria’s justice system, noting that many citizens no longer believe in the country’s judicial processes. He also questioned the legality of a lower court entertaining a matter that had already been decided by an appellate court. “If a Court of Appeal has decided a case, the next step is the Supreme Court, not a return to a trial court or another lower court,” Akinsola said.
Addressing the students, the Chief Judge of Ogun State, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu, described the dinner as a rite of passage and urged them to see the legal profession as a calling rather than merely a means of livelihood. Represented by Justice Tajudeen Okusokan, the Chief Judge reminded the students of their responsibility to serve justice and protect the rights of the vulnerable.
“Law is service. You must serve the Constitution, the truth and the common man who has no other voice,” she said, cautioning against the misuse of legal knowledge and authority.
Justice Dipeolu further stressed that strengthening legal education and instilling ethical values in young lawyers are essential to restoring public confidence in Nigeria’s justice system and safeguarding democracy ahead of future elections.
