Former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Olisa Agbakoba, has labelled the current Supreme Court as the worst in his extensive legal career.

Agbakoba shared his critical views at a colloquium in Abuja, celebrating Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s 61st birthday.

The event, attended by President Bola Tinubu and other key political and legislative leaders, provided a platform for Agbakoba’s comments.

Agbakoba recounts his unsuccessful attempt to join the Supreme Court bench, attributing it to a ‘mafia’ within the National Judicial Council.

He said, “I was the first, accompanied by my brother, Wole Olanipekun, who applied because we thought we were qualified to sit at the Supreme Court. The mafia there threw us out.

“We still mix the administration of justice, which the national assembly cannot interfere, with judicial administration, which the national assembly can make laws.

“There should be a law governing the appointment process of senior judges. We can’t leave it to the National Judicial Council. What the constitution says is that once you are 15 years old, you are qualified.

“But the National Judicial Council and supreme court judges have formed a mafia, and we don’t get there.

“With the greatest respect, this is the worst Supreme Court I have seen in my 45 years of practice.

“It has to change. A challenge for the national assembly to enact a law that deals with judicial administration.

“I did not say administration of justice, you can’t go there because that is the internal workings of the judiciary but judicial administration, the national assembly can make laws.

“You pass a law so that I don’t depend on the chief justice of Nigeria if I want to be a judge, the law will be passed stating the criteria to become a judge.”