The National Judicial Council has raised concerns over a proposed amendment to the 1999 Constitution that seeks to empower the Nigerian Bar Association to sanction and remove corrupt judges.
The bill, passed by the House of Representatives on March 25, 2025, proposes that the NBA should receive petitions against judicial officers, review their defense, and take further action.
Reacting to the development, the NJC’s Deputy Director of Information, Kemi Ogedengbe, questioned the legality and practicality of the proposal, emphasizing that the Constitution grants disciplinary authority over judges solely to the NJC.
“The constitutional requirements place the discipline of judges in the hands of the NJC, and it has procedures that must be followed. If a judge is deemed corrupt, you can’t just make an accusation—it must be backed up with evidence,” Ogedengbe stated
She further pointed out the potential for abuse if the NBA were to take on such responsibilities, raising questions about the role of lawyers in judicial corruption.
“The question is, who are those corrupting the judges? A crime does not occur in isolation; there are always accessories. Are they members of the public, lawyers, or medical doctors? Or are they lawyers themselves?” she asked.
Ogedengbe stressed that the bill is still at an early stage and will require approval from the Senate and the 36 state Houses of Assembly before becoming law.
“There will be public hearings where stakeholders will have the opportunity to express their views. Whether this bill will effectively curb corruption remains to be seen,” she said.
She maintained that any amendment to the Constitution must align with due process and existing judicial frameworks.
“There is no constitutional amendment that does not involve public hearings. Every stakeholder will come forward to say if they support it or not. A law is not a good law until it is made perfect,” Ogedengbe concluded.
