Chidi Odinkalu Reacts To The Comment Of Justice Emeka Nwite That Lawyers Shouldn't Try To Bribe Him

Human rights lawyer and public affairs analyst, Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, has reacted to recent remarks credited to Justice Emeka Nwite, in which the judge reportedly warned lawyers against attempting to bribe him. 

Odinkalu expressed concern over what he described as a growing trend of judges making public complaints about alleged corruption attempts without taking concrete institutional action.

In a post shared by Chidi Odinkalu on his X (formerly Twitter) account, he argued that judges possess sufficient powers under the law to deal decisively with anyone attempting to compromise the judiciary. 

According to him, public complaints about unnamed individuals trying to bribe judges undermine confidence in the justice system. 

“This business of judges sitting in court to complain about unnamed people trying to corrupt them has to stop. Courts and judges have powers to deal firmly with such issues,” Odinkalu wrote.

He further stated that any judge unwilling to exercise such powers should refrain from public commentary on the matter. Odinkalu added that judges should either name those involved or formally report them to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC). 

“A judge who is unwilling to exercise such powers or to name the people or refer them to the LPDC with full disclosure of relevant facts should simply keep quiet and stop making himself look compromised,” he said.