From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
Professor Ebenezer Yebisi, Provost of the College of Law at Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), has advocated for the exclusion of serving judges from presiding over election petition matters in Nigeria. He believes this will mitigate corruption, bribery, intimidation, and other malpractices during election petition cases, while also preventing delays in justice administration across courts.
Yebisi, lamenting the inadequate remuneration and poor working conditions of judges at all levels, called for significant salary increases. He proposed that judges’ salaries should be comparable to those of ministers or even higher, with the Chief Justice and State Chief Judges earning salaries equivalent to the President or Governors, respectively. He also suggested that such salaries should be a continuous charge on the Consolidated Revenue Fund, disbursed directly from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Delivering a public lecture at the 13th Annual Aare Afe Babalola Public Bar Lecture, Yebisi proposed that retired judges or distinguished lawyers, preferably Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), should constitute the electoral panel instead of serving judges. He highlighted the current shortage of judges in courts nationwide, calling for the recruitment of more judges and the efficient utilization of existing ones.
“Senior members of the Bar, especially young lawyers, should be encouraged to join the bench, while modern IT facilities should be installed in courts to facilitate quick dispensation of justice,” Yebisi emphasized. He also suggested expanding the jurisdiction of lower courts to handle small claims and limiting appeals beyond the Court of Appeal in certain cases.
Yebisi urged thorough investigations and appropriate sanctions for allegations of bribery against judicial officers, citing the case of the Kano Election Petition Tribunal Chairman. He also stressed the importance of taking asset declarations by public officeholders seriously and meticulously investigating claims.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ado-Ekiti Branch, Mr L.A. Fasanmi, commended Aare Afe Babalola for his immense contributions to legal education and practice in Nigeria, justifying the annual lecture instituted in his honour.
Aare Afe Babalola, the honoree and founder of ABUAD, expressed his gratitude for the annual recognition and wished for its continuation even after his passing. He lamented the dire state of the Nigerian economy, which has negatively impacted lawyers’ financial well-being, particularly in landlocked states where agriculture is the primary source of income.
Babalola highlighted the challenges of poor transportation infrastructure, deplorable roads, and lack of electricity, further exacerbating the economic situation. He observed that the number of individuals seeking to receive exceeds those willing to give, highlighting the imbalance in the economy.
The ABUAD founder proposed that the NBA committee responsible for the annual lecture establish a minimum fund of N50 million in a bank to generate interest for the lecture’s expenses. He pledged N25 million to initiate the fund and suggested allocating a minimum of N500,000 annually as a scholarship for the Best Law Student from ABUAD at the Nigerian Law School.
Oba Oluwole Ademolaju, the Oloye of Oye-Ekiti and Chairman of the occasion commended the NBA for honouring Babalola, describing him as a leading figure in the legal profession. He expressed his pride in motivating one of his children to become a lawyer, given Babalola’s numerous accomplishments and contributions to various NBA branches across the country.