Tap Initiative, a Nigerian citizens’ advocacy group, has given a poor assessment of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, in its one-year review of her leadership of the judiciary.
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The review, released on Monday to mark the anniversary of her assumption of office in August 2024, stated that “tangible reforms remained elusive under the chief justice’s watch”.
Before her swearing-in by the Tinubu administration, Tap Initiative had outlined a set of key performance indicators (KPIs) expected of the CJN. These included ending the abuse of ex parte orders by politicians, enforcing judicial discipline, implementing digital courts, reducing case backlogs, and restoring public trust amid longstanding allegations of corruption and bias.
Presenting the report at a press briefing, Martin Obono, Executive Director of Tap Initiative, acknowledged that Kekere-Ekun had overseen the retirement of judges based on age and initiated investigations into allegations of falsified ages. However, he said her overall approach had been “risk-averse, relying on speeches and moral persuasion rather than structural reforms”, which he described as “insufficient for a judiciary in crisis”.
The review observed that while Kekere-Ekun had clearly articulated the challenges confronting the judiciary, there was limited evidence of systematic reform. It noted that there had been no nationwide rollout of digital court processes, no disciplinary action against erring or underperforming judges, and no clear strategy to address the backlog of cases in higher courts.
Tap Initiative further stressed that the judiciary under Kekere-Ekun had not introduced any new guidelines or policy changes to tackle loopholes often exploited by politicians, especially in election-related cases.
The group also pointed out that public trust in the judiciary remained at critically low levels, with surveys and statements from the CJN herself confirming that confidence had not improved since her assumption of office.
Additionally, the advocacy platform faulted the continued practice of judges receiving vehicles and houses from the executive, describing it as an indignity that undermines judicial independence, particularly ahead of the 2027 general election.
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