The Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) has canvassed for the establishment of constitutional court in other to decongest the workload of the present courts in the country.
While advancing reasons for the proposed court, the SANs said when it is established, the constitutional court would effectively handle pre and post election cases so that other courts to be in position to adjudicate on other civil and criminal cases.
Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), who spoke on behalf of the lawyers, made the call in Abuja on Thursday at a valedictory session held in honour of retired Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Abdu Kafarati.
He lamented that the earlier proposal for the court was struck down due to lack of foresight.
He insisted that establishment of constitutional courts must be revisited and reintegrated into the constitution of the country in compliance with Section 250.
Awomolo recalled the revelation by the Federal High Court that over 16, 000 cases were carried over from 2019 to 2019/2020 legal year with many of the cases filed over four years ago, adding that the trend must not be allowed any longer because it could lead to denial of justice.
“Decongestion in all the courts have become a great burden, a source of concern and embarrassment. In the Supreme Court, only political cases are being heard on daily basis.
“Indeed, every day, on the cause list of the Supreme Court, there are about 12 to 15 cases for hearing. The Court of Appeal in all the divisions are daily preoccupied with pre and post election cases.
“Most high courts are occupied with political cases and most judicial officers from the high courts to Supreme Court have no vacation this year due to heavy workload of cases in their courts.
“The consequences of these, is that litigants in ordinary civil cases and matters are drowning in pains because justice has been and is still being denied them due to delays in their matters”, he said.
In his speech, the acting Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho applauded the contributions of his immediate predecessor for the enactment of the Federal High Court Civil Procedure Rules 2019, adding that the new Rules introduced a great a remarkable departure from the old Rules and also constituting anti corruption unit in the court to avoid corruption.