Renowned former Nigerian Bar Association President, Olisa Agbakoba, delivered a scathing critique of Nigeria’s Supreme Court during a recent colloquium in Abuja. Labeling it as “the worst” in his 45 years of legal practice, Agbakoba accused the court of harboring a clandestine “mafia” that obstructs qualified individuals from ascending to justiceship.
The legal luminary shared his personal experience of applying for a Supreme Court justice position alongside Wole Olanipekun, only to be allegedly “thrown out” by the internal forces within the court.
Agbakoba attributed the rejection to the conflation of “administration of justice” and “judicial administration,” advocating for independence in the former and legislative oversight in the latter.
He highlighted the absence of a clear legal framework for appointing senior judges, placing the process entirely in the hands of the National Judicial Council and Supreme Court justices. This, according to Agbakoba, creates an environment conducive to nepotism and cronyism.
Calling for legislative intervention, Agbakoba urged the National Assembly to enact a law establishing transparent and objective criteria for judicial appointments. He emphasized the need to move beyond the current system where the National Judicial Council and Supreme Court judges allegedly form a “mafia,” preventing qualified individuals from reaching the apex court.
In his concluding remarks, Agbakoba declared, “With the greatest respect, this is the worst Supreme Court I have seen in my 45 years of practice.”
