The Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria has warned that Nigeria’s federal system is under serious threat due to the dominance of a single political party, stressing that the judiciary must remain strong where opposition is weak.
BOSAN said the current political landscape has weakened federalism and virtually eliminated effective opposition, thereby placing greater responsibility on the judiciary to protect the constitution and the rule of law.
The body made the remarks in a speech delivered at a special court session marking the ceremonial commencement of the 2025/2026 Legal Year of the Federal High Court and the 41st Annual Judges’ Conference held in Abuja on Monday.
Currently, the All Progressives Congress controls at least 26 of the 36 states in the federation, with opposition parties decrying a tilt toward a one-party state.
In the address, read on its behalf by a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), BOSAN declared: “When there is no strong opposition, the judiciary must be strong. It must be adept. It must be innovative. It must defend the law and the constitution, and employ every inherent sanction of a court of law.
“The framers of the Constitution would never have entrusted the judiciary with the custody and control of the Constitution, without at the same time, giving it the necessary jurisdictional power to protect it at the time of mindless corruption.
“As I said before, it is midnight. It is you, judges, who will lead in this darkness. At such a time as this, you must be bold and courageous. You must be honest, you must be innovative.”
BOSAN further cautioned against what it described as the criminalisation of politics, urging judges to rise to the challenge of safeguarding constitutionally guaranteed rights
It said: “Criminalisation of politics means that you are the hope of the nation. If the electoral process continues to be dominated by money, if violence and ethnicity continue to prevail, if the checks and balances instituted by law have been eliminated or have ceased to be effective, if all the structures for accountability provided in the constitution are surprisingly ignored, in that case, we need a judiciary that can assert itself.
“Do so now! Do not fear and do not be afraid. If this generation does not appreciate you, generations to come will do so. Generations to come shall look back and wonder how you were able to save a nation so totally lacking in moderation.
“It has been said that as long as the nation is rife with corruption, we should not consider ourselves a democracy.
“The hope of the nation is in the judiciary to remove this cankerworm of corruption so that we can have a genuine democracy. This means that judges must be enlightened. You must spiritualise yourselves. You must be holy.”
The body added that it depended not so much on the priests, pastors, and imams to have a godly society, stressing that the men of God had taught the lessons they ought to teach.
“It remains for you, judges, to punish disobedience. The appropriate use of punishment. You have the means to compel criminals to give up crime.
“That is why it is said that a nation is as good as its judiciary. It is for this reason that some people blame not the politicians, but our judges and magistrates,” the body said.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, acknowledged that public expectations of the judiciary had risen significantly in recent years, noting that scrutiny had intensified.
She stressed that the judiciary remained the last line of defence for the constitution and the rights it guaranteed.
“In an age where misinformation travels swiftly, and institutional trust is increasingly fragile, we must continually demonstrate, through both conduct and decisions, that justice in Nigeria is anchored firmly on impartiality, transparency, and integrity.
“The Judiciary does not speak through press statements or public commentary; our judgments constitute our voice, and the manner in which we discharge our duties defines the authority and credibility of that voice.
“Beyond the substance of our judgments, the public increasingly measures justice by the discipline of our daily processes.
“Punctuality in sitting, consistency in court schedules, and the courtesy of giving advance notice when a court will not sit are no longer minor administrative matters,” she said.
She emphasised that these expectations were essential expressions of respect for litigants, counsel, and citizens whose time, resources, and confidence are invested in the justice system.
She noted that it would be unrealistic to ignore the fact that public confidence in judicial institutions was fragile, and that perceptions, whether fair or otherwise, carried real consequences.
“Where court processes appear unpredictable, opaque, or inefficient, the credibility of even sound decisions may suffer.
“Restoring confidence is not achieved by rhetoric, but by reliability, professionalism, and visible order in the administration of justice.
“Judicial independence must therefore be upheld, not as an abstract ideal, but as a lived and daily discipline grounded in courage, restraint, and fidelity to the law.
“Independence is not an adornment of democracy; it is its lifeblood. Yet independence, standing alone, is insufficient unless exercised with responsibility and moral clarity,” she added.
She also said that the Bench and the Bar must remain partners in the administration of justice.
“A weak link on either side diminishes the system as a whole. I therefore urge members of the Bar to uphold the highest standards of advocacy, to eschew tactics that frustrate proceedings, and to work constructively with the courts in advancing efficiency, professionalism, and the Rule of Law,” Justice Kekere-Ekun said.
The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John T. Tsoho, disclosed that the court disposed of a total of 16,019 cases at the end of the 2023/2024 legal year.
He said 3,113 were civil cases, while 5,818 were criminal matters.
He added that 3,724 motions and 3,374 fundamental human rights cases were filed within the same period.
Justice Tsoho said the annual ceremony served as a reminder of the court’s collective responsibility to uphold the rule of law, administer justice fairly and impartially, and safeguard the rights of citizens.
He further disclosed that, in line with efforts to modernise the judiciary, the Federal High Court had commenced an e-filing system at its Lagos Division, with plans to extend it to all divisions nationwide.
“We are intensifying investment in infrastructural development such as construction of court buildings, judges’ quarters, renovation of courtrooms and staff quarters where needed.
“We also strive to provide essential technological equipment in our courts,” he said.
Justice Tsoho noted that the initiatives were aimed at enhancing service delivery despite limited resources.
The President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Afam Osigwe (SAN), urged the judiciary to guard its independence jealously, noting that its authority rests on public confidence in its neutrality.
While commending the Federal High Court for its resilience and fidelity to the law, he called for continued courage, saying judicial decisions remained vital in shaping governance and ensuring national stability.
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