President Muhammadu Buhari says his government will continue to partner with the Judiciary to ensure its independence.
Buhari said his administration is working towards standardising Nigerian courts, safeguarding the integrity of the Judiciary, and attracting the best of legal minds to the bench.
The Nigerian leader stated this at the opening ceremony of the 2021 Biennial All Nigeria Judges’ Conference held at the Andrews Otutu Obaseki Auditorium of the National Judicial Institute, Mohammed Bello Centre, Abuja on Monday.
Buhari who is presently in South Africa was represented at the event by Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN).
Senior Special Assistant to Osinbajo on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande disclosed Buhari’s message in a statement on Monday.
The statement quotes Buhari as saying, “The Judiciary remains the last hope of the common man, it exercises powers that affect lives and liberties. A trusted, well-resourced and well-functioning Judiciary is therefore essential to the entrenchment of rule of law.
“To maintain this revered position, and retain greater public confidence by the citizens, the Judiciary must be independent of all forms of interference and must maintain the highest level of responsiveness, professional standards, and integrity. We will continue to partner with you in ensuring that the Judiciary is financially independent; and effectively and sustainably retains a preeminent position in the quality of jurists manning our courts and the jurisprudence that develops from their collective premier reasoning.
“My Lords, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, I cannot end this address without appreciating the proactive stance being taken by the leadership of the Judiciary, My Lord the CJN, in tackling some of the recent issues that emerged, especially in the area of conflicting court orders by courts of coordinate jurisdiction; and My Lord’s disposition in revolutionizing the process of selection and appointment of Judges.”
