When judges openly receive mansions worth N500 million from the executive arm, and when courts deliver judgments that systematically disadvantage opposition parties, the question inevitably arises: can a judge be truly neutral in Nigeria?
As the 2027 general election draws nearer, Nigeria's judiciary finds itself under an unforgiving spotlight. The pattern of judicial decisions emerging from the courts has become deeply troubling, with no fewer than seven of the 21 political parties recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) currently entangled in active court cases. When judges openly receive mansions worth N500 million from the executive arm, and when courts deliver judgments that systematically disadvantage opposition parties, the question inevitably arises: can a judge be truly neutral in Nigeria?
The recent inauguration of the Court of Appeal Abuja Division Building Complex and the construction of 40 judges' quarters in the Katampe District have reignited a fundamental debate about the boundaries between the executive and judicial arms of government. President Bola Tinubu described the project as "a statement that under the Renewed Hope Agenda, the rule of law will have a befitting home". Yet a critical examination reveals that such projects, financed with public funds, should not be presented as favours from political office holders.
