Nigerian judges would never be overwhelmed by the actions or loud voices of the mob or crowd who confuse law with sentiments, the Chief Justice Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, has said.
“We should never be overwhelmed by the actions or loud voices of the mob or crowd and now begin to confuse law with sentiment or something else in deciding our cases,” the CJN said reactions to the series of criticisms by politicians that trailed the recent sack of some state governors by the Court of Appeal across the country.
Mr Ariwoola spoke on Monday at the opening of the special session of the 2023/2024 legal year and the swearing-in of 58 newly conferred Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs).
The CJN said, “I expect every judicial officer to work very hard and also be very honest and courteous to the litigants, witnesses and members of the bar, and discharge all your judicial functions with all the humility at your command.
“Even while doing this, it is still necessary to have at the back of your minds that public opinions, sentiments or emotions can never take the place of the law in deciding the cases that come before you.
“The law remains the law, no matter whose interest is involved. In all we do, as interpreters of the law, we should endeavour to severe the strings of emotion from logic and assumption from fact.”
He said that, “Nevertheless, unnecessary and unwarranted utterances are bound to embarrass not only others, but the judge himself; thus what should be asked, should be asked, and what should not be asked, should be avoided.”
Mr Ariwoola also pledged his commitment to safeguard the rule of law, the holistic independence of the judiciary and the trust and confidence of the public.
The CJN said the Supreme Court received 1,271 cases comprising motions and appeals between September 12, 2022 and July 11, 2023.
He said of these, the Supreme Court heard 388 political appeals, 215 criminal appealed and 464 civil appeals, while it also considered a total of 49 criminal motions, 153 civil motions, and 2 political motions.
Mr Ariwwoola said within the same period, the apex court delivered a total of 251 judgments, out of which 125 were political appeals, 81 were civil appeals and 45 were criminal appeals and 91 rulings.
