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CJN: Lack of conferencing cause of conflicting Court verdicts
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has blamed the frequent occurrence of conflicting court decisions on the lack of conferencing by various panels of the appellate courts.
Justice Kekere-Ekun, who stated this while declaring open the 2024 Justices Annual Conference of the Court of Appeal in Abuja Monday, expressed concern over the menace of conflicting decisions and specifically called on presiding justices of the Court of Appeal to imbibe the practice.
According to the CJN, conferencing is an essential tool that promotes mutual respect, deepens understanding and enhances the quality of the court’s decisions.
“Now, the issue of conflicting decisions is one of great concern in our community at present time, and one of the reasons that we have conflicting decisions is because many panels do not hold conferences to discuss all reserve judgments.
“It is strongly recommended that conferences be held. I cannot overemphasize this point. We are an appellate court for a reason, and the reason is that several heads are better than one.
“So holding conferences, exchanging opinions and ideas on matters that come before us is extremely essential. We have presiding justices here, and if it has not been your practice, I want to appeal to you that you start making it a practice. It is a very, very essential tool in the work that we do,” she said.
Besides, the CJN admonished that these conferences be held in good time so that where there are conflicting opinions, they can bey discussed before judgments are given, adding that the justices thoroughly examine judgments of the trial courts in order to see the reasons for those judgments before they were appealed.
“We have recent decision or a case where a wrong interpretation was given to the decision of this court that informed the decision of the trial court. So some of these things will probably be brought to light in the process of holding conference. So that is my singular message here, that conference is a safe place,” the CJN stressed.
Meanwhile, the CJN has tasked judges and justices of various courts to be introspective in order to turn around the negative perceptions of the judiciary.
She stated that through introspection, justices can examine how their collective processes can be improved, ascertain whether their judgments are addressing the root issues brought before them, as well as whether they are sufficiently attuned to the broader societal implications of their decisions.
Kekere-Ekun further stated that through introspection, the judiciary can surmount some of its challenges such as case backlogs and funding constraints.
In a goodwill, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), noted that the theme of the conference, ‘Judicial Introspection’ is particularly instructive and indicates the intention of the organizers to use the conference as a barometer to gauge the accomplishments of the court and also provide a compass to guide optimal performance in the future.
While remarking that the Nigerian judiciary has a long and proud history of dispensing justice without fear or favour, the AGF maintained that the Court of Appeal, in particular, has to a great extent demonstrated unwavering commitment to upholding the principles of justice, equity and fairness.
“Your judgments have set precedents, shaped legal discourse, shaped the course of several aspect of our national life, and your commitment to upholding the constitution and established principles of law and natural justice has provided a beacon of hope for countless individuals and entities seeking justice,” he said.
Fagbemi, who observed that issues such as political interference, public opinion (especially perpetrated on social media), and even well-intentioned efforts to improve the justice system pose as challenge to judicial independence, urged the justices to remain vigilant and steadfast in the defence of judicial independence.
He however pledged to uphold the principle of judicial independence as the chief law officer of the country.
Earlier in her welcome, the President of the Court of Appeal (PCA), Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, observed that the ever-evolving nature of our landscape demands that we engage in regular self-reflection, evaluation and strategic planning.
“This conference offers a unique opportunity for introspection, knowledge-sharing and growth among stakeholders. We are deeply grateful for the participation of our distinguished resource persons, whose expertise and experiential knowledge will undoubtedly enrich our deliberations.
“Justices occupy a position of paramount importance in the administration of justice with their decisions exerting a profound impact on individuals, communities and society at large. Nevertheless, despite their expertise and experience, justices are not immune to the limitations inherent in human decision-making, including errors, biases, and prejudices.
“To address these limitations and ensure the delivery of justices, judicial introspection offers a mechanism for self-reflection, in-depth analysis, and ongoing improvement,” she said.
While acknowledging the benefits of social media, the PCA observed that the technological shift has also generated a range of challenges for the judiciary, including the management of online reputation, cyber-bullying and harassment.
“The preservation of the integrity of digital evidence in the context of legal proceedings is now a thing of concern. To effectively navigate these complexities, it is only appropriate for the judiciary to engage in a process of regular intellectual upliftment.
“A regular examination of existing practices, procedures and policies to ensure their efficacy, efficiency and fairness in the digital age is imperative.
“The increasing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) within the judiciary has the potential to revolutionize the administration of justice, enhancing efficiency, improving decision-making, and expanding access to justice. However, the deployment of AI in judicial contexts also raises profound questions regarding bias, transparency and accountability. To address these issues, the judiciary must carefully examine its own utilization of AI and ensure that adoption is as an adjudicatory tool and not a replacement of the judge,” she said.
…hails emergence of Bawa as state chairman
The Senator representing Taraba Central Senatorial District Senator Manu Haruna on Sunday donated five operational vehicles to Taraba Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to enhance its operations.
Manu also seized the opportunity to congratulate the state Chairman, Hon Abubakar Bawa when he visited the secretariat in Jalingo last Sunday.
The former State Deputy Governor expressed his congratulations to Chairman Bawa and the state working committee for their election, emphasizing the importance of unity and progress within the party. He commended their commitment to strengthening the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Taraba State.
In a generous move to enhance the operational capacity of the party at the grassroots level, Senator Manu donated five vehicles — one for each Local Government Area (LGA) party chapter in Taraba Central.
This donation is intended to facilitate better coordination and outreach efforts within the party.
Senator Manu praised Hon. Abubakar Bawa for his dedicated efforts to elevate the PDP in the state, asserting that Taraba will always remain a stronghold for the party.
In response, State Party Chairman Alhaji Bawa expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Senator Manu for his thoughtful visit and generous donation. He acknowledged the impact of such contributions on the party’s progress and reemphasized the commitment of the PDP to serve the interests of the people in Taraba State.
By Francesca Hangeior
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, AGF, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has canvassed for greater efforts and commitments to the Federal Government’s aspirations to produce a workable legal framework for the country.
He charged the Committee put in place by the federal government to review, revise and consolidate the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, LFN, to double the efforts and commitments to deliver on the mandate at the appointed time.
Fagbemi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, spoke on Monday in Abuja at the second retreat of the Committee put in place in October last year for the laws of the federation revision and reform.
The AGF while challenging the committee to be up and doing asked the members to remain united in purpose and steadfast in the resolve to produce a legal framework that is worthy of the nation’s aspirations.
He said the second retreat organized by the federal government was a strategic consolidation of the national law reform efforts and to provide an invaluable opportunity to come up with a better workable legal framework for the nation.
“Let me start by expressing gratitude to the Chairman, Co-Chairperson and members of the Committee for their selfless service and sacrifice, to ensure that this project is executed efficiently and effectively.
“The call to be part of this assignment is indeed a sacred that inevitably and positively affects the lives of individuals, government, businesses as well as citizens of this nation.
“The general purpose of law is to regulate human behavior by protecting lives and properties in society. The inauguration of the Committee on the 24th October, 2024 marked a historic milestone in our collective efforts to modernize, consolidate, and harmonize Nigeria’s body of federal statutes.
“The retreat successfully provides a clear framework for the structure and methodology of the revision exercise, oriented the 14 Working Groups tasked with reviewing specific legal subject areas, and fostered collaboration among key institutions and stakeholders on the project.
“Following the initial retreat, I wish to note that the Committee has recorded steady progress in its work.
“The Ministry has taken several measures to ensure that the assignment is delivered efficiently, including:training sessions for secretaries of the working groups to enhance documentation and coordination; technical meetings of the main committee and its various sub-committees; working sessions and deliberations among editors and reviewers; and ongoing technical collation of revised laws by the Secretariat.
“This second retreat is a strategic consolidation of our national law reform efforts and provides an invaluable opportunity to: review progress made since the first phase;
address any technical or structural challenges encountered during the collation process;
– Harmonize the output across working groups; and set the tone for the final stages of this important project.
“The next stage of the law review and consolidation process would include editing and proofreading the reviewed legislation, ahead of the final collation, production and printing of the laws of the federation.
“It is my conviction that these phases will be executed with even greater commitment by the Committee, with the support of stakeholders and development partners.
“I wish to commend the leadership of the LFN Committee, the Secretariat for its diligent coordination and day-to-day management as well as the Working Groups, Editors, and Reviewers, for their intellectual rigour and professionalism.
“Special gratitude to our development partners, particularly RoLAC, for standing firmly behind this national project.
“Let me urge all participants to use this retreat as a platform for robust engagement, peer learning, and practical collaboration.
“We must remain united in purpose and steadfast in our resolve to produce a legal framework that is worthy of our nation’s aspirations.
” I wish to express gratitude for your commitment to duty and I charge you to work in synergy and cooperation, in the overall interest of the nation”, the AGF said.
The Rivers State Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), has replied to the Nigerian Bar Association regarding the reason for relocating its Annual General Conference from Port Harcourt to Enugu State.
Ibas faulted the reason cited by the NBA, describing it as misleading and uncharitable.
The Sole Administrator stated this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Monday by his media aide, Hector Igbikiowubo, and sent to newsmen.
He said while the NBA reserves the right to choose a venue for its conference, the association had yet to address the issue of the refund of the hosting rights paid by the state government for the conference.
The statement partly reads, “While we respect the NBA’s right to choose its conference venues, we find it curious that the association—despite its “principled position”— didn’t address the refund of the N300 million already paid by the Rivers State Government for the hosting rights of the 2025 conference.
“If the NBA truly stands on principle, it should demonstrate the same integrity by promptly returning these funds rather than benefiting from a state it now publicly discredits.”
It added, “The attention of the Rivers State Government has been drawn to the Nigeria Bar Association’s announcement dated 10th April 2025, relocating its 2025 Annual General Conference from Port Harcourt to Enugu.
The statement partly reads, “While we respect the NBA’s right to choose its conference venues, we find it curious that the association—despite its “principled position”— didn’t address the refund of the N300 million already paid by the Rivers State Government for the hosting rights of the 2025 conference.
“If the NBA truly stands on principle, it should demonstrate the same integrity by promptly returning these funds rather than benefiting from a state it now publicly discredits.”
It added, “The attention of the Rivers State Government has been drawn to the Nigeria Bar Association’s announcement dated 10th April 2025, relocating its 2025 Annual General Conference from Port Harcourt to Enugu.
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