Judges protest as Gov Aiyedatiwa cuts Ondo budget by 40%

With the recent cut in budget by the governor of Ondo State, Lucky Ayedatiwa, the state’s judiciary appears to be facing a lot of pressure.

Some critics in the state said the sharp budget cuts and unresolved welfare concerns pose a huge threat to judicial independence under the administration of Governor Aiyedatiwa.

The Ondo state government had reduced the judiciary’s allocation from N17 billion in the 2025 budget to N9.5 billion in the 2026 budget, a cut of more than 40 per cent.

While the state government has announced 80 per cent financial autonomy for the judiciary, the approval applies only to recurrent expenditure, excluding capital projects such as court infrastructure and equipment.

Senior court officials who spoke on the recent cut in budget warn that the arrangement could result in a 20 per cent reduction in staff salaries in 2026.

They also feared that this action could leave the courts and the entire judicial system without funds for essential repairs.

Several court buildings across Ondo State are reported to be in ruins, with leaking roofs and flooding during rainfall, frequently forcing the suspension of court sittings, the officials who preferred not to be named said.

Also, a senior magistrate, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the situation as “a slow erosion of the justice system,” adding that “you cannot talk about judicial independence when courts cannot function physically.”

Welfare concerns in the judiciary, the sources say has also become an issue of concerns

For instance, the Magistrates and Grade A Customary Court Presidents are said to rely on commercial motorcycles for official movement, despite the governor’s reported approval of ₦400m for vehicles since 2024.

Sources within the judiciary allege that the Ministry of Finance has not released the funds.

High Court judges are also reportedly using official vehicles that are over six years old and increasingly unreliable. Multiple appeals for replacement vehicles since 2024 have allegedly gone unanswered.

Legal analysts note that the judiciary has played a critical role in resolving political disputes in the state, including election-related cases.

A constitutional lawyer who is based in Akure, Ondo State’s capital city has also warned that “starving the judiciary of funds, whether deliberate or not, weakens democracy itself.”

As calls for urgent intervention grow, observers say the handling of the judiciary’s funding will test the government’s commitment to the rule of law in Ondo State.