By Queen Kunde
Chief Dan Nwanyanwu, the National Chairman of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), has expressed full support for the Chief Justice of Nigeria’s (CJN) ongoing efforts to eliminate corruption within the judiciary. Speaking during a press briefing, Nwanyanwu condemned the rising instances of judicial misconduct, particularly the issuance of contradictory injunctions by lower courts. He accused some judicial officers of turning these courts into “enterprises” where judgments are sold to the highest bidder.
Nwanyanwu noted that the refusal of lower courts to uphold Supreme Court decisions undermines the legal principle of stare decisis, which requires lower courts to follow precedents. “The lower courts, with the greatest respect, have become an enterprise where the highest bidder gets judgment or any injunction at will,” Nwanyanwu remarked. He further decried the collusion between lawyers and judges who manipulate the legal system for personal gain.
He pointed to the troubling practice of “forum shopping,” where litigants seek out courts that will provide favorable rulings, leading to conflicting judgments on the same issue. Referring to the Rivers State local government elections, Nwanyanwu criticized the issuance of “black market injunctions” that either supported or opposed the elections, damaging public confidence in the judiciary.
“The judiciary must be careful of the politicians,” Nwanyanwu warned, stressing the importance of maintaining judicial integrity. He recalled how in the past, judges kept their distance from litigants to preserve impartiality, a practice he believes should be reinstated to restore faith in the judicial system.
Nwanyanwu did not spare senior lawyers, whom he accused of taking advantage of their clients’ ignorance by filing frivolous and duplicative cases. He described this trend as an embarrassment to the judiciary, particularly in federal and FCT high courts where corruption has allegedly become widespread.
Calling on the CJN to take decisive action, Nwanyanwu said, “The CJN, with her no-nonsense reputation, must put her feet down and clean the Augean stable,” highlighting the urgency of rooting out corrupt judges. He emphasized that the CJN’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption offers hope for meaningful reform in the judiciary, and her legacy could be one of restoring its credibility.
Nwanyanwu’s comments reflect widespread frustration over the perceived erosion of judicial integrity. He urged the CJN to implement reforms that would assure Nigerians that the judiciary remains the last hope of the common man. Failure to address these issues, Nwanyanwu warned, could spell disaster for Nigeria’s democracy.
In his closing remarks, he encouraged the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) to proceed with local government elections despite attempts by certain parties to use the courts to halt the process. According to him, no court has the legal right to stop the conduct of elections as long as the law is clear.
Nwanyanwu’s strong endorsement of the CJN’s anti-corruption efforts signals a growing demand for accountability within Nigeria’s legal system, as he called on the judiciary to remain above reproach and to punish those who seek to corrupt it.