In a powerful address that dissected the state of Nigeria's legal system, a prominent Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) has raised a critical alarm. Prof. Fidelis Oditah has voiced deep concerns that the nation's courts are dangerously prioritizing electoral disputes at the severe expense of commercial, criminal, and everyday socio-economic matters.
A Scathing Critique of Judicial Priorities
Oditah delivered his lecture titled 'Judicial Gridlock and the Adverse Implications of Prioritising Electoral Justice Above Socio-Economic Justice' as the keynote speaker at a significant event. The occasion was the 2025 annual reunion of the Nigerian Law School Class of 1985, which also marked their 40th anniversary of the Call to the Bar.
He described Nigeria's justice delivery as slow, largely ineffective, and bogged down by excessive technicalities. The senior lawyer argued that the intense national focus on resolving election petitions has created a damaging imbalance. This fixation, according to him, diverts crucial judicial attention, time, and resources away from resolving other vital disputes that directly impact the economy and citizens' daily lives.
Ten-Point Roadmap for Judicial Reformation
To tackle what he termed a crisis, Oditah proposed a comprehensive ten-point reform agenda. His solutions are designed to unclog the courts and restore public confidence:
- Increased Funding and Resources: Advocating for substantially better financial investment in the judiciary.
- Recruitment of More Judges: To handle the overwhelming caseload across all courts.
- Infrastructure Upgrade and Technology Deployment: He stressed that digitalization is now a necessity, not an option, for courts to manage growing cases efficiently.
- Zero Tolerance for Corruption: Oditah condemned the lenient sanctions often given to corrupt judges, such as suspensions with full pay or quiet reinstatements, stating they erode public trust.
- Curbing Misuse of Interlocutory Appeals: Highlighting how this practice has crippled many trials, especially criminal cases.
- Improving Investigation and Prosecution: He lamented the tendency to file numerous poorly investigated charges instead of focusing on fewer, well-prepared cases.
- Resolving Jurisdictional Conflicts: Between federal and state high courts to prevent delays.
- Reforming Case Listing Practices and Improving Court-Counsel Communication.
- Addressing Judicial Work Ethic: Criticizing late court sittings, frequent adjournments, and resistance to technological adoption.
- Stricter Sanctions for Erring Lawyers: Including Senior Advocates, and the revitalization of the largely non-functional Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee.
Root Causes of Systemic Failure
Oditah went beyond surface issues to pinpoint deeper systemic problems. He decried the role of political influence and patronage in judicial appointments and promotions, warning that excessive lobbying severely undermines the independence and impartiality of the bench.
He concluded that delays in both civil and criminal adjudication have far-reaching negative consequences for national economic growth and social stability. The current system, he implied, fails to deliver the socio-economic justice that is fundamental to a functioning society.
Earlier at the event, the Chairman of the Council of Legal Education and Chairman of the Alumni Class of '85, Emeka Ngige (SAN), unveiled projects including an ultra-modern medical centre at the Lagos Campus of the Nigerian Law School. The class also honoured members who contributed to the legal profession, including Mrs Helen Oloja and 46 Senior Advocates of Nigeria.
