The Nigeria Youth Organisation (NYO) has called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) to take swift and firm disciplinary action against judges whose conduct undermines democracy and weakens public confidence in the judiciary.
The group stressed the urgent need for ethical reforms to restore the dignity of the legal profession and protect Nigeria’s democratic values.
At a press briefing on Tuesday in Abuja, NYO’s President, Comrade Okorie C. Okorie said that the judiciary, as the foundation of democracy, must not be used as a tool of oppression.
He warned that compromising judicial independence poses a serious threat to the country’s democratic system.
‘Our democracy stands at a crossroads, threatened not just by visible enemies but by the insidious corruption and complicity within its very institutions’, Okorie declared.
He said the judiciary must resist attempts to turn it into a weapon against political opponents, describing opposition as the ‘lifeblood of any true democracy’.
Okorie stressed that the judiciary must remain impartial and courageous in delivering justice.
‘The independence of the judiciary is sacrosanct. Any compromise must be met with national outrage and decisive disciplinary action. Lawyers who wilfully mislead courts, manipulate legal processes, or exploit the judicial system to thwart democracy are enemies of our collective future’, he stated.
The NYO urged the NJC to act quickly and transparently in holding erring judges accountable.
‘It must swiftly and transparently discipline judges and judicial officers whose conduct threatens democracy or undermines public trust in the judicial process’, Okorie insisted.
He added that systems must be put in place to ensure no official is above accountability.
Reaffirming the NYO’s commitment to fighting for judicial integrity, Okorie said the group would not hesitate to protest or expose anyone working against democracy.
‘The Nigeria Youth Organisation stands ready to hold all judicial actors to account. We will not hesitate to call out, protest against, and expose anyone undermining democratic governance, no matter how highly placed.
‘Democracy is not for the timid. It demands courage: from judges, lawyers, regulatory bodies, and citizens alike. We demand nothing less than an uncorrupted, fearless, and vibrant judiciary that serves the people and the nation’, he said.
The NYO’s demand for reform comes amid growing concerns over the erosion of democratic principles in Nigeria, with the judiciary often at the centre of controversial political cases.
