THE APPOINTMENT AND REMOVAL OF JUDICIAL OFFICERS IN NIGERIA: A LEGAL APPRAISAL

Abstract

It is widely recognized that the government of Nigeria has three arms of government: the legislature, executive and judiciary. The Courts are constitutionally vested with judicial powers which include the power to interpret the law and determine cases. For the effective administration of the judicial powers, there is a need for the right people to be put in judicial offices and for them to be granted a considerable measure of tenure. This underscores the necessity for meritocracy cum transparency in the appointment and removal of judicial officers in Nigeria, as it is crucial for preserving judicial independence and the rule of law. Essentially, the motivation for this research is to interrogate the legal and institutional frameworks and the procedures for the appointment and removal of judicial officers in Nigeria. The primary aim of this research therefore, is to offer a detailed legal analysis of these procedures, with specific objectives which include analyzing the legal and institutional frameworks governing the process and identifying challenges within the current system. This study employs the doctrinal research method and comparative legal analysis approach, utilizing primary and secondary sources of data. The researchers identified several challenges in the current appointment and removal procedures of judicial officers in Nigeria. Therefore. The researchers concluded that significant reforms in the processes of appointment and removal of judicial officers in Nigeria are necessary for an independent judiciary, and recommended the implementation of more transparent and merit-based appointment procedures, the establishment of more efficient removal procedures, and incorporation of the best practices from other jurisdictions to improve the legal and institutional frameworks in Nigeria.