- Charges Judges To Maintain Integrity Judiciary Is Known For
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Olukayode Ariwoola has revealed the breakdown of the number of cases that the Supreme Court handled in the 2022/2023 Legal Year.
According to Mr Ariwoola at the opening of the 2023/2024 new legal year and the conferment of the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) on 58 legal practitioners on Monday in Abuja, the apex court handled 1,271 cases including motions and appeals.
“Out of these, we heard 388 political appeals, 215 criminal appeals, and 464 civil appeals.
“Similarly, the court considered a total number of 49 criminal motions, 153 civil motions, and 2 political motions.
“Between September 30, 2022, and 11 July 2023, the Supreme Court delivered a total number of 251 judgments. Out of these, 125 were political appeals, 81 were civil appeals and 45 were criminal appeals.
“Within the period under review, precisely 10 months’ duration, a total number of 91 rulings were delivered by the honourable court.
”To a very large extent, I will confidently say that this score-card is impressive, fascinating and appreciable in view of the unpleasant events that dotted the legal year, especially the attenuating number of justices on the Supreme Court bench, which has to do with some challenges that could not easily be surmounted by one arm of government alone.
“I attribute the tremendous successes recorded in the course of the last legal year by the honourable court to the doggedness exhibited by my industrious and team-spirited brother Justices and the general staff,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Ariwoola has urged the new SANs not to take for granted the honour newly conferred on them, pointing out that they were successful out of 114 applicants.
“While 57 of the new SANs are from the advocate, only one emerged successful from the academics.
“As Senior Advocates of Nigeria, you now carry a heavy burden on your shoulders from the moment you leave this courtroom, everything in you and about you will now be freely scrutinized and dissected by everyone that comes in contact with you.
“There is nothing like private life for you henceforth, as whatever you hitherto regarded as private life will now be treated as public life by members of the public; and there is nothing you can do about it.
“So, watch your utterances, watch your actions and watch the kind of company you keep, because you have already assumed the role of ministers of the court, as you are now expected to assist the court to attain justice, equity and fairness in all ramifications.”
The CJN also charged Judges to maintain the integrity that the judiciary is known for and remain fair and firm in their judgements.
Ariwoola added that he expects every judicial officer to work very hard and also be very honest and courteous to the litigants, witnesses and members of the bar, and discharge all their judicial functions with all the humility at your command.
While pledging to safeguard the rule of law, the holistic independence of the judiciary and the trust and confidence of the public, the CJN further reiterated the determination of the Judiciary, not to be overwhelmed by the sentiments of the public in their decisions.
He stated that the law remained the law, no matter whose interest was involved.
He charged them that in all they do, as interpreters of the law, they should endeavour to sever the strings of emotion from logic and assumption from fact.
The CJN further reminded the judges that it is necessary to have at the back of their minds that public opinions, sentiments or emotions can never take the place of the law in deciding the cases that come before them.
He stated that the Judiciary, as it is today, is more deserving of public trust and confidence than ever before; and they are poised to reposition it for effective justice delivery to make the country a destination of note in the observance of the rule of law and tenets of Constitutionalism.
