The recent proposal by the House of Representatives to decentralize the Supreme Court of Nigeria has received widespread support, especially from legal professionals across the country.
On December 9, the House introduced a bill aimed at creating five divisions of the Supreme Court, alongside the existing headquarters in Abuja. The proposed bill, titled “A Bill for Act to Amend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999,” aims to establish divisions in Umuahia, Bauchi, Uyo, Lagos, and Kano to improve access to justice, reduce logistical costs for litigants, and speed up the dispensation of cases. Abuja would still cater for the North Central region.
The bill, which has already passed its first reading, seeks to amend Section 230(1) of the 1999 Constitution. If successful, it will decentralize the court, bringing justice closer to Nigerians in various regions and alleviating the burden on justices at the apex court.
Legal experts, including the National Publicity Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mrs. Bridget Edokwe, have lauded the initiative. She believes that decentralizing the Supreme Court will expedite case resolutions and reduce costs for litigants who currently face financial strain traveling to Abuja for hearings.
Other legal professionals share her view. C.I Nnamani, an Enugu-based lawyer, noted that decentralization would allow for faster handling of appeals and improve access to justice, reducing the long delays that currently plague the system. He also applauded the decision to have Abuja cover the North Central region.
Human rights lawyer Malachy Ugwummadu expressed a nuanced perspective. He argued that if the move is meant for administrative convenience, it echoes practices from Nigeria’s 1960 and 1963 constitutions, where the Supreme Court had regional sittings for better management. However, he also pointed out that decentralization could deepen Nigeria’s federalism, enhancing state autonomy and allowing for more localized decision-making, as seen in other countries like the U.S. and South Africa.
Ugwummadu also highlighted the overload of cases in Nigeria’s Supreme Court, with non-federal issues like family disputes and land matters often reaching the apex court, further congesting the system. This has contributed to long waiting times for cases, where litigants sometimes wait years for a resolution, often resulting in witnesses and plaintiffs passing away before justice is served.
The decentralization proposal is seen as a step towards streamlining the judiciary, ensuring that the Supreme Court deals with only national matters, while regional courts handle everyday issues more efficiently. For many, this reform could be a vital solution to the overcrowding in the judicial system, offering faster justice for Nigerians across the country.