Senior law advocates in the country have expressed their growing concern at the number of appeals pending at the Supreme Court.
There are currently over 8,000 appeals at the Supreme Court waiting to be heard, some dated back from 2013, a source said.
”The appeals at the Supreme Court at the moment are many and the justices of the court are doing their best to ensure that the appeals are dealt with so that the registry of the court can be decongested,” revealed the anonymous source.
“Apart from political cases and some cases that are very urgent and time-bound, the earliest date any appeal filed now can get at the Supreme Court is 2028. No one can blame the leadership of the judiciary for this. The cases are too many, including those that are frivolous.”
A senior advocate, Abdul Balogun, said the constitution needs to be amended in order to transform Nigeria’s judicial system.
He said the Supreme Court currently is overwhelmed and overburdened, because of the 1999 Constitution that allows an automatic right of appeal in all matters to get to the Supreme Court.
”The interlocutory appeals have to be taken together with the main matter, rather than allowing appeals separately on it to the apex court,” Mr Balogun said.
”The constitution should be further amended to allow for the appointment of ad-hoc justices so as to allow retired justices and erudite senior advocates to be invited from time to time to help decongest the court.”
I do agree with the recommendation.
Also the President of Court of Appeal should replicate the special sitting she introduced at the court of appeal to reduce further the case load, but sound judgment should not be sacrificed for quick disposal of cases.