Abuja, March 26, 2025 | It’s nearing noon at 11:47 AM WAT, and Nigeria’s justice system is under a spotlight that’s hard to ignore. Chidi Odinkalu, a legal heavyweight and former National Human Rights Commission chair, alongside the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), dropped a blunt call Wednesday: judges need to cut ties with politics and politicians.
Speaking to The Guardian Nigeria, the duo didn’t mince words, warning that the judiciary’s entanglement with power players is eroding its soul. For a nation where courts often decide who rules, it’s a plea that hits home and one that’s got folks like me, a Lagos-based writer, wondering if justice can still stand tall.
Odinkalu’s voice carries weight. He’s seen the judiciary’s highs and lows, from fearless rulings under military rule to today’s murkier waters. “Politicians now see courts as their playground,” he told The Guardian Nigeria, pointing to a troubling trend where judges cozy up to the elite.
HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, doubled down, urging judicial officers to “maintain absolute independence” from political influence. Their joint alarm bell rings loud: when judges dine with politicians, justice gets served last. X posts trending this morning echo the vibe one at 08:15 WAT called it “a wake-up call,” while another questioned, “Who’s policing the judges?”
The timing’s no fluke. Nigeria’s courts have been flexing muscle lately, from Kano’s governorship mess to Rivers’ budget battles. Odinkalu’s not new to this fight he’s flagged politicians gifting SUVs to judges, arguing it’s a leash on democracy, per a July 2024 Daily Trust chat. HURIWA’s got skin in the game too, pushing electoral reforms since Enugu’s tribunal ruling last year raised forgery flags. Both see a judiciary teetering once the people’s last hope, now a tool for the connected. “Votes don’t count when judges pick winners,” Odinkalu warned, a nod to cases like Zamfara 2019, where courts flipped results.
For everyday Nigerians, it’s personal. Take Tunde, an Abuja trader I know—he’s lost faith. “Court rulings feel like deals, not justice,” he grumbled over tea. He’s not wrong to wonder: when politicians bankroll judges, who’s left to trust? The National Judicial Council’s probed rogue rulings before, like 2021’s Anambra clash, but Odinkalu and HURIWA say it’s not enough. “Systemic rot needs systemic fixes,” Onwubiko argued, hinting at stricter appointment rules and better pay to curb temptation. X chatter at 09:30 WAT backs that users want judges screened, not just scolded.
Critics might scoff judges aren’t robots; politics seeps in everywhere. Fair point, but when SUVs roll up as “gifts” and rulings mirror party lines, it’s not just seepage, it’s a flood. The Guardian Nigeria piece notes Odinkalu’s push for judges to “distance themselves,” not dabble deeper. HURIWA’s call isn’t naive either Onwubiko’s flagged judicial overreach since 2023, per past Guardian reports. This isn’t about perfection; it’s about survival. A judiciary too chummy with power isn’t justice it’s a pawn.
So, what now? Odinkalu and HURIWA aren’t tossing platitudes they’re mentoring a nation to demand better. Judges can’t fix this alone; it’s on us too. Push the NFF, question the bench, rally for reform. Nigeria’s democracy isn’t dead, but it’s bruised. If courts stay politicized, we’re all losers. Time to choose: a judiciary for the people, or one for the players? Your move, Naija.