The National Executive Council, NEC, of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, has agreed to formally petition the Nigeria Police Force and other relevant security agencies over public remarks alleging interference with the judicial process, particularly statements linked to a former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso.
The decision followed NEC discussions sparked by widespread public interest in comments reportedly made by Kwankwaso, in which he claimed to have been involved in engagements with Justices of the Supreme Court during the legal proceedings arising from the 2019 Kano State governorship election.
NEC clarified that the proposed petition targets the claims and assertions themselves and does not amount to a presumption of guilt against any individual.
According to the council, the move is aimed at ensuring that allegations of such seriousness are subjected to “thorough, impartial, and professional investigation.”
NEC warned that claims of this nature, “whether made directly or by implication, are capable of undermining public confidence in the independence of the judiciary and the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral justice system.”
The council further resolved that the petition should not be restricted to the statements attributed to Engr. Kwankwaso alone, but should also cover “any other individual who has made statements, admissions, or public comments suggesting that they influenced, attempted to influence, or had improper access to judicial officers or judicial decision-making processes.”
It stressed that “where such claims are false, they are dangerous and corrosive to constitutional democracy and must be firmly repudiated. Where they are true, accountability must follow in accordance with the law.”
Consequently, NEC mandated the National Executive Committee of the NBA to prepare and submit a formal petition to the Nigeria Police Force and other appropriate security agencies, seeking a comprehensive probe into all allegations of judicial interference or influence, with the aim of protecting judicial independence and restoring public trust in the justice system.
The NBA reaffirmed its commitment to the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary, insisting that no individual, regardless of political standing or past office, should make or promote claims that cast doubt on the integrity of the courts without being subjected to lawful scrutiny.
