“The cure for judicial rascality is disciplinary action. Glossing over rascality while relying on Appeal Courts alone to overturn obnoxious judgments encourages more judges to go into the lucrative business of delivering procurable obnoxious judgments,”
Prominent economist and founder of Stanbic IBTC Bank, Atedo Peterside, has called for stronger disciplinary measures against judges found guilty of misconduct, insisting that Nigeria cannot rely solely on appellate courts to correct controversial judicial decisions.
Peterside made the remarks while reacting to the recent Federal High Court ruling in Lokoja that set aside an earlier judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party.
According to him, allowing appellate courts alone to overturn what he described as “obnoxious judgments” without holding erring judges accountable only encourages judicial misconduct.
“The cure for judicial rascality is disciplinary action. Glossing over rascality while relying on Appeal Courts alone to overturn obnoxious judgments encourages more judges to go into the lucrative business of delivering procurable obnoxious judgments,” Peterside stated.
His comments came in support of former Senator Sola Akinyede, who had earlier expressed concern over the state of the Nigerian judiciary, arguing that the justice system should be sustained by judicial integrity and ethical conduct rather than depending solely on higher courts to correct errors.
The controversy followed Friday’s ruling by Justice Isah Dashen of the Federal High Court in Lokoja, who nullified the court’s earlier order directing INEC to register the NDC. The judge held that the earlier judgment affected the interests of the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which claimed ownership of the logo used in the suit but was not joined as a party in the proceedings. The NDC has since rejected the judgment and vowed to challenge it at the Court of Appeal.
Peterside’s intervention has reignited the debate over judicial accountability, with many legal observers arguing that disciplinary sanctions against judges found guilty of misconduct are essential to restoring public confidence in Nigeria’s justice system.
Editor’s Note
The credibility of any democracy rests heavily on the integrity of its judiciary. While appellate courts play a vital role in correcting legal errors, allegations of judicial misconduct require prompt investigation and appropriate disciplinary action. Upholding accountability within the judiciary remains critical to strengthening the rule of law and preserving public trust in Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
✒️ By Noel Chiagorom — THE NATION’S EYES NEWSPAPER
