Prominent human rights advocate and former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, has raised critical concerns regarding the transparency and effectiveness of the National Judicial Council’s (NJC) ongoing judicial appointment process.
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In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, Odinkalu reacted to the NJC’s recent publication of a list containing 80 candidates for judicial office across superior courts of record. The list includes 53 nominees to High Courts, 20 to Sharia Courts of Appeal, 7 to Customary Courts of Appeal, and 2 nominees for Chief Judge positions in states.
While acknowledging the NJC’s move as a step toward transparency, Odinkalu questioned the credibility and utility of the public feedback mechanism announced by the Council. The NJC had invited members of the public to submit comments or information on the listed candidates within 14 days, warning that false information would attract consequences. An email address (info@njc.gov.ng) was also provided for submissions.
However, Odinkalu expressed skepticism about the process, highlighting three major concerns:
- Lack of Clarity on Post-Feedback Process
“The announcement does not disclose what will follow at the end of the 14 days,” he noted. “People who don’t have a credible assurance as to how information they provide will be handled are unlikely to respond with enthusiasm.” - Doubts About NJC’s Capacity to Process Public Input
Odinkalu questioned whether the Council possesses the technological and institutional capacity to handle a potential deluge of open-source information in the digital age. “While the intention may be good, the process needs to be more carefully thought through if it’s to help,” he said. - Track Record of Ignoring Feedback
Drawing from past experience, Odinkalu criticized the NJC’s failure to act on feedback previously submitted by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). “In most of the appointments during the tenure of the immediate past CJN, nothing was done with the comments from the NBA,” he alleged.
He also cited a specific instance in which input from the NBA was solicited only after the appointment process had been concluded, suggesting that the consultation was merely performative. “The slots had already been allocated to the sons, daughters, wives, and relatives of some ‘owners of the judiciary’,” Odinkalu remarked.
The activist concluded by calling for deeper institutional reforms. “What needs to change is more than just inviting the public to send comments… If the NJC wants to be taken seriously, it needs to show a capacity to process what it’ll get and the will to assure that what it gets will matter,” he stated.
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