Days after Amina Adamu Augie, a retired justice of the Supreme Court, warned that corruption among judges, lawyers and court officials was undermining the administration of justice in Nigeria, turning the courts into what she described as ‘market stalls’ rather than temples of justice, other legal practitioners and other analysts have echoed the same sentiment.
Augie said corruption within the legal profession had also damaged public confidence in the judiciary, calling for the punishment of erring practitioners, irrespective of their status or seniority
Indeed, declining confidence in Nigeria’s judiciary and electoral processes could undermine the legitimacy of the 2027 general election, with many other legal practitioners warning that voters may increasingly question whether their ballots will count and whether courts can deliver justice in disputed outcomes.
The lawyers said the growing perception that electoral disputes could be influenced, alongside restrictions on political competition and concerns over judicial independence, threatens public confidence in democracy and could discourage participation in the forthcoming elections.
Afam Osigwe, immediate past president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), told BusinessDay that declining participation in elections could be linked to a lack of confidence in both the electoral process and the judicial system responsible for determining disputes.
He said Nigerians who believe their votes would not count or that election petitions would not produce fair outcomes were unlikely to have confidence in the process.
‘As long as people feel that their votes don’t count and that their adjudication in the cases will not produce a fair outcome and that the courts are replacing the electorates in determining leaders, that there will not be much confidence in it,’ Osigwe said.
He said the perception that electoral outcomes could be procured was becoming increasingly widespread, citing cases involving judges and lawyers who had been accused of corruption in electoral disputes.
According to him, some judges had been recommended for dismissal by the National Judicial Council (NJC) and dismissed over allegations of taking bribes to decide electoral cases.
Osigwe, however, said rebuilding confidence in the electoral process required more than focusing on the judiciary, stressing that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), political parties, governors, law enforcement agencies and the electorate all had responsibilities.
He said INEC must conduct elections in a manner that allows winners to emerge genuinely deserving of victory and losers to accept the results as fair.
The former NBA president also raised concerns over restrictions on opposition political activities in some states, including alleged prohibitive billboard charges, disruptions of campaign meetings, intimidation and restrictions on rallies.
He said such practices, alongside the alleged destruction of electoral materials and the prevention of political gatherings, could undermine the credibility of elections before voting begins.
‘If you take all these strings of events of our time together and you have an election, even if it has produced a credible winner, people will not believe that the process leading up to that has been fair,’ he said.
Osigwe said the judiciary must also ensure consistency in its decisions and avoid judgments that leave Nigerians questioning whether electoral disputes had been determined fairly.
He said judicial decisions must be sound and stand the test of logic and legality to command legitimacy.
The lawyer warned that the consequences could extend beyond disputed election results, as declining confidence could discourage citizens from participating in elections.
‘Many people today will tell you that they are not going to vote, that no matter what they do, that the outcome is already known. And that’s a huge negative,’ he said.
Osigwe described the problem as systemic, saying lawyers who misuse judicial processes, judges who allow themselves to be influenced and institutions that fail to protect electoral fairness all contribute to the crisis.
He said the responsibility for restoring confidence rested on all stakeholders rather than any particular institution or political party.
Solomon Apenja, an Abuja-based legal practitioner, said the concerns raised by retired Supreme Court Justice Amina Augie reflected deeper problems within the judiciary and the country’s democratic institutions.
Apenja said the judiciary’s role in protecting electoral outcomes had become a major concern, alleging that some courts had frustrated efforts to improve transparency in elections.
He argued that the judiciary had, in some instances, become part of the mechanism through which electoral manipulation was sustained.
‘The judiciary, unfortunately, is a part of the rigging mechanism,’ Apenja said.
He alleged that politicians who disputed election results often approached the courts believing that judicial decisions could be influenced in their favour.
Apenja also criticised judicial interpretations of electoral provisions, arguing that decisions concerning electronic transmission of results had weakened safeguards intended to improve transparency.
He said the introduction of measures such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and electronic transmission of results was intended to address electoral manipulation, but expressed concern that judicial decisions had undermined some of those efforts.
The lawyer said the situation had contributed to public frustration and voter apathy, with citizens increasingly questioning whether participating in elections could produce meaningful change.
He also described the 2026 Electoral Act as a setback, arguing that some safeguards previously available to electoral petitioners had been removed.
Apenja said rebuilding confidence required discipline, accountability and consequences for individuals found to have compromised the electoral process.
He urged Nigerians with evidence of misconduct involving judges or lawyers to submit petitions to the appropriate disciplinary authorities.
According to him, the NBA must continue to speak out and ensure that members of the legal profession uphold the standards expected of them.
‘The truth is you cannot corrupt the bench without the active connivance of the bar,’ he said.
Realwan Okpanachi, a legal practitioner and member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), also warned that declining confidence in the judiciary could affect democracy, business and public trust.
Okpanachi said the problem was not limited to the judiciary, but extended to the wider political and institutional environment.
He said the judicial system must ensure that citizens are treated equally before the law and that election results reflect the votes cast.
The lawyer said the consequences of declining confidence in the judiciary could affect businesses and transactions, as people who no longer trust the courts may become reluctant to rely on the judicial system to resolve disputes.
‘It affects business. It affects trust. It affects everything,’ Okpanachi said.
He called for stronger discipline and consequences for misconduct, arguing that the absence of accountability had allowed corruption to become entrenched in the system.
Okpanachi also criticised the 2026 Electoral Act, describing it as a setback that had failed to address problems associated with proving election petitions.
He said the judiciary and INEC must take steps to restore confidence in the electoral process, warning that the consequences of continued distrust could be far-reaching.
However, Dayo Akinlaja, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Ekiti State, cautioned against treating allegations of judicial corruption as established facts without evidence.
Akinlaja said although there were concerns about the judiciary that required urgent attention, it was unfair to portray the institution as corrupt without clear proof.
He said individuals who believed judges or lawyers had engaged in misconduct should present evidence to the appropriate authorities.
According to him, allegations of corruption must be supported by empirical evidence before disciplinary action could be pursued.
Akinlaja also identified delays in the dispensation of justice as a major concern, saying prolonged proceedings had affected confidence in the judicial system.
He called for procedural reforms to reduce delays, particularly where preliminary objections such as jurisdiction could be considered alongside substantive matters.
The lawyer said improving the speed of justice and strengthening accountability would help address concerns about the judiciary without unfairly undermining the institution.
He said the NBA and NJC already had mechanisms for addressing misconduct and urged citizens to use them where evidence existed.
Meanwhile, Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, NBA president, said her administration would work to ensure lawyers uphold the rule of law and that the judiciary remains the last hope of the common man.
She said she had assumed office less than a month earlier and was still working towards implementing her administration’s agenda.
‘I just resumed office less than a month ago, and my administration is working towards implementing its agenda. So, I will not comment beyond what I have said so far,’ she said.
Osigwe said the approaching elections should not be viewed as a reason to abandon efforts to restore confidence in the system, arguing that the willingness of stakeholders to do the right thing remained more important than the time available.
He warned that a winner-takes-all political culture could weaken democracy if political actors continued to prioritise the acquisition of power over fairness and accountability.
The former NBA president urged Nigerians not to lose faith in democracy, warning that the abuse of political power could threaten the survival of the democratic system.
He said restoring confidence in elections and judicial processes required a collective commitment to fairness, accountability and respect for the rule of law.