Lawyer and legal scholar, Maxwell Opara, has warned that any nation with judges whose integrity is in doubt is headed for serious trouble, following a controversial ruling that prompted a scathing rebuke from the Court of Appeal.
Speaking during an interview on ARISE News on Wednesday, Opara reacted to a recent Court of Appeal decision ordering a stay of execution of a judgment and directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties.
In its ruling, the appellate court criticised Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court for proceeding with a matter despite an earlier order directing him to suspend proceedings, describing the conduct as the highest form of judicial impertinence.
Opara said the incident points towards deeper concerns about judicial accountability and the urgent need to safeguard public confidence in the courts.
He said, “Any country that has a problem with their judicial system, that country is dead on arrival. Any country that their judges are questionable, we have a problem. Because the democracy economy is predicated on the judicial system of every country.”
The lawyer argued that the judiciary remains the foundation of every democratic society and warned that actions capable of eroding confidence in the courts could have serious consequences for governance and economic development.
He also called for urgent action by the National Judicial Council (NJC), saying, “NJC should just, first of all, set up a panel to investigate that matter. It’s a matter of urgency. So as to serve as a deterrent to others.”
Opara maintained that judicial misconduct should never be treated as a minor issue because of its wider implications for the country.
According to him, “This thing has to do with our democracy. It has to do with our economy. It has to do with our political system. So we don’t joke with it.”
The senior lawyer further backed calls for reforms within the justice sector, stating that restoring confidence in the judiciary was essential to Nigeria’s democratic future.
He said, “There is an urgent need for judicial reform.”
Opara added that the consequences of a weakened judiciary extend beyond the courtroom, stressing that public trust in democratic institutions depends largely on confidence in the country’s judges.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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 warns that a compromised judiciary threatens democracy, economic growth and public trust in governance.</p>
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