Former President of the Court of Appeal, Ayo Isa Salami, has raised concerns over what he described as judicial errors that allowed Peter Obi to contest the 2023 presidential election under the Labour Party.
Speaking after receiving the 2025 Human Rights Defender Award at the 20th anniversary of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, Salami argued that Obi’s participation contradicted constitutional provisions. According to him, the Labour Party had already submitted its membership register to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before Obi defected from the Peoples Democratic Party.
He maintained that, in the absence of independent candidacy in Nigeria’s Constitution, Obi should not have qualified as a candidate if his name was not on the party’s register at the time of submission.
Salami also used the case to highlight broader concerns about declining standards within the judiciary. While rejecting the notion that corruption is widespread, he noted that some judges lack adequate training and experience, which can lead to flawed judgments.
“There are not necessarily bad eggs,” he said. “But some have problems of learning and insufficient background, which affects the quality of justice delivery.”
The retired jurist further criticized aspects of judicial appointments, suggesting that vacancies based on regional considerations sometimes allow less experienced individuals to rise ahead of more qualified candidates.
Reflecting on his personal journey into law, Salami credited the late Obafemi Awolowo as a key influence. He recounted how Awolowo’s decision to defend himself in a legal battle inspired him to pursue a legal career instead of agriculture.
In his remarks, Dapo Olorunyomi of the WSCIJ described Salami as a jurist of exceptional integrity, noting his long-standing commitment to judicial independence and the rule of law.
Salami served as President of the Court of Appeal from 2009 to 2011 and is widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s most principled judicial figures.
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