An 11-member Independent Judicial Accountability Panel, which included three retired justices, criticized the Supreme Court’s ruling on the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State on Friday, March 14, 2025.
The panel, led by retired Justice Mojeed Owoade of the Court of Appeal, expressed concern in a statement issued after its inaugural meeting in Abuja.
It noted that the Supreme Court’s judgment on the appeals related to legal disputes in Rivers State had strayed into live issues.
The panel, which conducted an in-depth review of recent high-profile cases, pointed out that the Supreme Court’s judgment in the consolidated appeals left uncertainty regarding whether the alleged defection of 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly remained unresolved or had been settled.
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It criticized the Court for making remarks on the defection issue without directly addressing it.
While acknowledging that the Supreme Court did not have sufficient information to conclude whether the 27 lawmakers were still legitimate members of the Assembly, the panel argued that the Court should not have commented on the matter, given that the issue was still under litigation.
However, the panel ruled out the possibility of an application for judicial review, stating that the Supreme Court had become functus officio on the matter.
The panel also emphasized that complex and lengthy rulings undermine public trust due to their difficulty in being understood, urging judicial officers to remain mindful of their oath of office.
In its recommendations, the panel called for politicians to refrain from exerting undue influence on the judiciary and to adopt a more cooperative approach for the benefit of the public.
It also urged all levels of government to comply with court orders and respect citizens’ fundamental rights.
The panel highlighted that, despite the ECOWAS Court’s ruling on damages for victims of the October 2020 End SARS protests, the Federal Government had not complied even after nine months.
The panel further recommended that the Federal Government respect not only domestic court orders but also international court decisions, in accordance with its obligations under various treaties.
It stressed the importance of citizen involvement in holding the judiciary and other government institutions accountable, and encouraged the media to be more courageous, factual, and unbiased when reporting on the judiciary’s role in democracy.
The panel consists of two other retired Court of Appeal Justices, Chinwe Iyizoba and Oloduton Adefope-Okojie, along with Prof. Okechukwu Ibeanu, Prof. Jummai Audi, Mr. Mac Imoni Amarere, Barr. Sechap A. Tsokwa, Andrew Mamedu, Judith Gbagidi, Barr. Funmi Olukeye, and Celestine Okwudil.
This panel is part of a broader initiative launched by ActionAid Nigeria and the Citizens’ Led Engagement on Judicial Accountability in Post-Election Justice Delivery in Nigeria (CLEAP-Justice), which has been operating since July 2023.
According to Andrew Mamedu, ActionAid’s Country Director, the project has evolved into a broader effort supporting citizen action for judicial accountability, extending beyond electoral matters.
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