CJN Ariwoola Told To Resign Over Appointment Of Biological Children As Judicial Officers

The Civil Society Consortium on Judicial Accountability (CSCJA) has called for the resignation of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, over alleged abuse of office and favouritism in the discharge of his duties.

The group, which claimed that its members are lawyers of public interest, expressed dissatisfaction over the appointment of the CJN’s biological children as judicial officers in the recent appointments.

They accused the CJN of appointing his son, Olukayode Ariwoola Junior, as a Judge of the Federal High Court and also his daughter, Oluwakemi Victoria Ariwoola, as a Judge of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

At a protest staged at the road leading to the Supreme Court on Tuesday, the group accused the CJN of conferring undue advantages on his family by using the National Judicial Council (NJC), of which he is the chairman, to recommend the two children as High Court Judges.

The group members carried placards with various inscriptions, amongst which were, “the CJN should resign now, stop judicial rascality, say no to nepotism, judicial accountability is a must “.

Speaking with journalists shortly after delivering the letter demanding the CJN’s resignation, the consortium coordinator, Martin Obono, insisted that the office of the CJN be unbundled to avoid being further abused.

“The CJN’s appointments have raised serious concerns about potential conflicts of interest and the erosion of public confidence in the judiciary. More importantly, the violation of Rule 11 (iv) of the Code of Conducts for Judicial Officers in Nigeria which states that “in the exercise of his administrative duties, a Judicial Officer should avoid nepotism and favouritism.

“The Consortium emphasized that the legal system must uphold the highest ethical standards to ensure that all citizens receive fair and equitable treatment under the law. Nepotism in judicial appointments not only violates principles but also threatens to weaken the rule of law in Nigeria”, Obono said.

Consequently, the protesters urged the CJN to take immediate responsibility for his actions and resign from his position, adding that the step is necessary to restore public confidence in the judiciary and demonstrate a commitment to ethical governance.

Obono maintained that “It is imperative that the judiciary remains free from personal bias and favouritism to safeguard the principles of justice.”