In a bold critique of Nigeria’s justice system, former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has alleged that a significant segment of the judiciary has become an instrument of the executive arm of government, compromising its constitutional duty of impartiality and eroding public trust.
El-Rufai made these remarks on Monday, May 19, 2025, while delivering a keynote address during the Law Week of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Bwari Branch, held in Abuja. His comments have since stirred national conversation on the state of judicial integrity and the role of legal practitioners in safeguarding Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
The former governor did not mince words, accusing judges and lawyers of routinely engaging in practices that serve the interests of the political elite rather than the common Nigerian. He lamented that the judiciary, a critical pillar of democracy, is increasingly seen as biased, inefficient, and vulnerable to manipulation.
“In parallel, our judiciary—meant to be the bedrock of fairness and order—is under intense scrutiny. Concerns about delayed justice, procedural inefficiencies, and, in some cases, judicial compromise erode public confidence,” El-Rufai declared.
He further condemned the growing practice of “forum shopping” and the abuse of ex parte orders in political cases, stating that such tactics are being used to pervert the course of justice and protect vested interests.
“The rise in forum shopping, the weaponisation of ex parte orders in political matters, and the growing perception that justice is for sale would lead any discerning observer to conclude that what Nigerian courts do is the administration of law—not justice,” he noted.
El-Rufai emphasized that the judiciary appears to be operating under the directive of the executive, thereby abandoning its constitutional independence. According to him, legal rulings increasingly reflect the preferences of the ruling class rather than the rule of law.
“In Nigeria, there is a seemingly unbridgeable gulf between law and justice. Not only is justice wanting, but the law that is administered seems to be according to the wishes of the Executive,” he asserted.
The former governor described this situation as dangerous and regressive, warning that a judiciary perceived as politically compromised threatens the very foundations of democracy.
El-Rufai’s address was also a passionate call to legal practitioners across Nigeria to self-reflect and recommit to the ethical and professional standards that define the legal profession. He urged members of the NBA and judicial officers to uphold the principle of blind justice and resist external pressure.
“The demand on you, as practitioners in the Temple of Justice, is a sober introspection. Ask yourselves whether Justitia is truly blind and whether she still holds the scales of justice in fine balance,” he urged.
He reminded the legal community that the credibility of the judiciary is vital to national cohesion, the protection of civil rights, and the fair conduct of elections, especially with the 2027 general elections drawing closer.
El-Rufai’s comments have drawn mixed reactions from legal professionals, politicians, and civil society groups. While some have lauded him for speaking truth to power, others view his remarks as politically motivated, given his ambitions and previous brushes with the judiciary.
A senior lawyer who preferred anonymity told this publication: “What El-Rufai said is not new. The difference is that it’s coming from a former insider. The judiciary needs urgent reform, but political actors must also stop trying to control it.”
The Nigerian Bar Association has yet to issue an official response to the remarks, though internal discussions among its members suggest a growing concern about the politicization of the bench.
The call for judicial reform is not new, but El-Rufai’s voice adds weight to the growing advocacy for a more transparent, independent, and accountable judiciary. Observers believe that unless structural and systemic reforms are implemented—including an overhaul of the judicial appointments process, stiffer penalties for corruption, and better funding—public confidence will continue to decline.
In recent years, multiple cases of conflicting court judgments, especially on electoral matters, have prompted calls for clearer constitutional safeguards to shield the judiciary from political interference.
As Nigeria inches closer to the 2027 elections, the independence of the judiciary is poised to become a defining issue. El-Rufai’s statement is a stark reminder that justice delayed, bought, or manipulated is justice denied—and that without a trusted judiciary, democracy itself stands on shaky ground.