A human rights activist, Ijeoma Nwafor has demanded a legislation to ban wives of prominent Nigerian politicians from holding key positions in the country’s judicial sectors.
Speaking at a public gathering on Thursday attended by top politicians, including All Progressives Congress (APC) national chairman Abdullahi Ganduje, Ijeoma emphasised the need for an independent judiciary, untainted by political influence.
She lamented the pervasive political interference in appointing Supreme Court Justices and other judges, citing it as a major obstacle to fair justice in the country.
She said, “The judiciary should not be seen mingling with politicians. I think that is the root of the problem. Somehow you become a governor and you are no longer a Nigerian, somehow you become a judge, and you are no longer a Nigerian.
“You are a President and you are no longer a Nigerian. That is the root of the problem. It is a Nigerian problem. If you are a corrupt Nigerian, and you are made a judge, you will be a corrupt judge.
“If you are a corrupt Nigerian, you become a SAN, you will become a corrupt SAN. It starts from the home; it starts from the community. We don’t even hold each other accountable any longer.
“So sir, I equally have a question for you (referring to political leaders in the gathering), perhaps we should legislate who people marry. Why should a prominent politician’s wife be able to be a judge? It should be against the law. You will see somebody, he is a prominent politician and his wife rose and became a Supreme Court Justice.
“We have to regulate this thing. If your wife is to be a judge, then you need not be an elected official, you must pick one.”
“Let’s get serious, you hear court judgement and the judge sitting there is the wife of a senator, and the senator comes up on the floor of the Senate and says ‘Well in the bedroom, I have negotiated for some of you,’ and we laughed,” she stated.
In June, SaharaReporters reported how Eberechi Suzette Wike, wife of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and 21 others made it to the final list of the Court of Appeal judges.
Justice Eberechi Suzette Wike from Rivers Judicial Council was on the list of priority nominees sent to the Federal Judicial Service Commission.
During the Senate Valedictory Session in June 2023, Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa revealed that his wife, Zainab Bulkachuwa, had provided assistance to some of his colleagues during her tenure as President of the Court of Appeal.
Zainab held the position from April 2014 to March 2020. Senator Bulkachuwa, who represented the Bauchi North Senatorial District in the 9th Senate, made the disclosure in a speech.
