Lawyers set agenda for new CJN, Kekere-Ekun

Some Lagos lawyers have urged the newly confirmed Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, to “match words with action” during her administration of the judiciary.

The lawyers said this in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos, while reacting to the confirmation of Kekere-Ekun by the Senate.

NAN reports that the Senate on Wednesday confirmed the appointment of Justice Kekere-Ekun as the CJN.

Reacting to her confirmation, founder of the MAEF Foundation for Indigent Inmates, Mr Anthony Makolo, urged the CJN to ensure that appointment to the bench is based strictly on merit.

He said that effective justice delivery could only be enshrined with capable hands on the bench.

“I urge the new CJN to make it compulsory for any appointee to the bench to have a rich background in law practice.

“When a magistrate who has never practised law or attended a court session is appointed to the bench, it will retard the much-desired efficiency we seek in the justice system.

“So, while we welcome the new CJN onboard, we urge her to put issues of speedy justice delivery at the front burner of her administration,” he said.

Mrs Ebere Obiora, the Ogun State Coordinator of the African Women Lawyers Association, called for a reversal to the manual filing of court processes.

Obiora said the electronic filing of court processes, especially in Lagos State, had not helped lawyers, because of its rigourous process.

She urged that lawyers be afforded a portal to enable them conduct the e-filing of processes conveniently from their offices.

Obiora sued for the appointment of lawyers as court registrars to promote efficiency.

“I again, congratulate the newly confirmed CJN , and I pray her administration be progressive.

“The process of filing court processes electronically has really posed a problem for lawyers especially in Lagos State; I don’t know about other states.

“This is a major issue requiring prompt attention from the judiciary; it is my opinion that e-filing be improved on or stopped and replaced with manual filing.

“This is because even after the online process, we still go physically to the registrars and still serve manually, so there is no point,” she said.

Obiora, therefore, urged that lawyers be given opportunity to file processes from their respective offices, as part of efforts to improve on the process of e-filing.

On his part, a rights campaigner, Chief Malcom Omirhobo, urged the new CJN to appoint more justices of the Supreme Court.

Omirhobo stressed the need for the appointment of more justices to the apex court, adding that election petitions were matters of crucial public interest that should be handled fast.

“The CJN has mapped out tall goals for her administration and I can only wish her the will power to execute these goals,” he said.

Mr Ogedi Igu, the Country Director of the Advocacy for Justice and Accountability (AJA), said the new CJN had been part of the justice system and its process.

While urging the new leadership of the judiciary to protect the rule of law, he said that AJA would continue to hold the judiciary accountable for its obligations.

NAN reports that the 66-year-old CJN has been serving as the acting CJN since Justice Kayode Ariwoola retired in August.