Professor Tunde Yebisi, a university lecturer, has proposed the use of retired judges and senior lawyers instead of serving judges for election petition tribunals in Nigeria.
Speaking at the 13th edition of the Annual Aare Afe Babalola Public Bar Lecture in Ado-Ekiti, Prof. Yebisi said this change is necessary for Nigeria’s democracy to progress.
He also suggested that the remuneration of judges, including those of inferior courts, should be adequate and progressively increased to be on par with that of the president, governors, and other state actors.
He emphasized the need for a new constitution truly made by the people and subjected to a referendum to underpin Nigeria’s democracy.
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Prof. Yebisi recommended that retired judges or respected lawyers, preferably Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), should constitute electoral panels instead of serving judges. He believes this change would reduce coercion, intimidation, bribery, and corruption in election matters and keep the few judges available in functional service.
