Legal Group Files Petitions Against Justice Tsoho Over Alleged Discrimination Against Non-Litigation Lawyers.
Legal Group Files Petitions Against Justice Tsoho Over Alleged Discrimination Against Non-Litigation Lawyers.
Legal practitioners in Nigeria have taken action against the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, accusing him of engaging in discriminatory and prejudicial conduct that undermines the integrity of judicial processes. An association of Nigerian legislative lawyers, the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners (ALDRAP), has filed petitions with both the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), demanding thorough investigations into the allegations.
The petitions detail concerns that Justice Tsoho’s actions may have compromised judicial impartiality. ALDRAP highlighted that Justice Tsoho, who was involved in a panel investigating the case, had prior knowledge of the lawsuit’s details and had already made prejudicial comments before the case was concluded. The association also questioned why the case was reassigned from Justice Mohammed Garba Umar to Justice James Omotosho, suggesting possible judicial interference aimed at influencing the case’s outcome against ALDRAP.
Furthermore, ALDRAP accused Justice Tsoho of conflict of interest for serving as chairman of a disciplinary panel investigating three SAN members connected to the Blue Silks project. The association contends that the CJ should have recused himself from the matter to avoid any appearance of bias, especially given his prior involvement in related cases. Instead, they argue, he failed to disclose his previous involvement, breaching the provisions of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, 1991.
The association has expressed readiness to provide additional evidence to support its claims and has called for an urgent investigation. They emphasize that the allegations involve serious violations of judicial conduct and the Code of Conduct Bureau’s regulations, which threaten the integrity of Nigeria’s judiciary. ALDRAP’s actions reflect ongoing concerns about judicial independence and fairness, particularly in cases involving reforms and efforts to diversify legal recognition beyond traditional litigation-based titles.
