MARCEL MBAMALU
A recent Court of Appeal ruling has slammed the brakes on the corrupt judicial appointment process in Abia State, awarding N3 million in costs against two candidates who attempted to stall the recruitment of new judges.
The case, which has dragged on for nearly five years, highlights the rot in Nigeria’s judicial appointment process, says Human Rights activist and lawyer, Chidi Anselm Odinkalu.
“It’s time to save judicial appointments from corruption,” Odinkalu told Prime Business Africa in a position article he shared on Saturday, February 21, 2026. “The contest over judicial appointments has become a life-and-death struggle, not for justice, but for personal gain.”
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The Abia State Judicial Service Commission (JSC) initiated the process in 2021, but it was marred by allegations of corruption, including a Chief Magistrate who died after being excluded from the list despite paying bribes.
“The appointment of judges has become a meal-ticket for life or leverage for rent-seeking,” Odinkalu lamented. “Those who control the process use it to benefit their families and networks, leaving others feeling entitled to the good life.”
The Court of Appeal upheld the National Industrial Court’s ruling, allowing Abia State to proceed with a fresh recruitment process for 10 judicial vacancies.
“The court took a dim view of the conduct of the aggrieved candidates, accusing them of stalling the process without justification,” Odinkalu noted.
The ruling is a welcome reprieve for Abia State, which has struggled with judicial vacancies and an unmanageable toll of judicial dockets.
“The JSC must learn from previous experiences and undertake the process with transparent standards to avoid a repeat of the scandal,” Odinkalu advised.
The Court of Appeal’s observation that “employment or appointment of judicial officers are not justiciable” raises concerns about impunity in judicial appointments.
“We have not heard the last of this issue,” Odinkalu warned.
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