By Our Correspondent
As Nigeria approaches the January 16, 2027 general elections, concerns are mounting over the integrity of the judiciary, with lawyers, political actors, civil society groups and other Nigerians warning that corruption could undermine electoral justice and public confidence in democracy.
The concerns follow a warning by retired Supreme Court Justice Amina Augie that corruption within the judiciary and legal profession is eroding public trust and turning the courts into “market stalls”. She spoke in Abuja at the 40th anniversary celebration of the Nigerian Law School Class of 1986, urging the legal profession to confront practices damaging the administration of justice.
Prof. Benjamin Okaba, former president of the Ijaw National Congress, said the warning should be taken seriously, arguing that corruption could facilitate pre-election manipulation, electoral malpractice and post-election instability. “If we lose the courts before February 2027, we would have lost the election before the first vote is cast,” he said, calling for stronger oversight, digitalised court registries and transparent tribunal proceedings.
Similarly, former Ondo State SDP chairman, Stephen Adewale, warned that politicians who believe they can buy judicial protection could undermine electoral accountability. He urged the National Judicial Council (NJC) to investigate credible complaints promptly and sanction proven misconduct, while calling for secure digital records and timely access to electoral evidence. He cautioned that the courtroom must not become “a final polling unit where money casts the deciding vote”.
Public analyst and former Ekiti State Commissioner for Information, Lanre Ogunsuyi, said credible elections depend not only on voting and accurate result collation but also on impartial courts capable of resolving disputes fairly. He warned that compromised electoral justice could weaken the legitimacy of elected governments, erode public confidence, and push aggrieved parties towards protests, violence, or other unlawful responses.
Other stakeholders called for institutional reforms and greater accountability. Jefferson Uwoghiren, a lawyer and human rights activist, urged the Senate Committee on Judiciary and the media to intensify scrutiny of alleged misconduct. Moruff Balogun, a former vice-chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association’s Ijebu Ode branch, stressed that electoral disputes must be decided by evidence and the law, not money, political influence or intimidation. Alagoa Morris, a former Bayelsa State secretary of the Civil Liberties Organisation, also urged the judiciary to purge itself of corruption and rebuild public trust.
Meanwhile, Bitrus Pogu, president of the Middle Belt Forum, advocated a fully automated electoral system and real-time transmission of results to strengthen transparency and reduce opportunities for manipulation. Other contributors, including NBA Ibadan Branch chairman Kareem Adekola and human rights lawyer Niyi Aborisade, called for impartial adjudication, credible investigations and effective disciplinary measures. Their central warning was that democracy cannot command public confidence if citizens believe electoral mandates can be secured through money and influence rather than votes and the rule of law.