Let justice be swift, fair — Tinubu charges judges

President Bola Tinubu has again charged the Nigerian judiciary to ensure swift, fair justice that is blind to a litigant’s status or tribe, insisting that a compromised legal system threatens democratic stability.

Instead of widespread citizen frustration with prolonged case backlogs and slow adjudication, he maintained that the administration of justice must be both fair and swift so that the common man can have confidence in the judiciary as his last hope.

The President gave the charge on Monday in Abuja when he commissioned the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division building complex, Dakibiyu, constructed by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) under the watch of Barr. Nyesom Wike, as FCT Minister, to mark the President’s third anniversary in office.

Represented by his deputy, Vice President Kashim Shettima, the President said the new appellate court building reinforces his Renewed Hope Agenda and his administration’s determination to give the operators of the nation’s justice system a befitting home.

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He said: “To My Lords Justices, as you move into this complex, Nigeria asks one thing of you: let justice be swift. Let it be fair. Let it be blind to status, tribe, or purse. Let the common man feel that this Court is truly his last hope.

“On this note, and to the glory of Almighty God, I hereby commission the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division Building Complex, for the service of justice and for the benefit of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

President Tinubu noted that it was unacceptable that the Abuja Division of the appellate court operated from a cramped, temporary space for too long, even as he said a nation that seeks justice must respect the temple of justice.

“When I visited and saw the condition, I gave a simple instruction: fix it. Today, we have fixed it,” he stated, just as he commended the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, for timely delivery and for domesticating his demonstration’s judicial reforms in the nation’s capital.

“You took the assignment to deliver this project in May 2024. By July, contractors were on site. You promised 16 months. You delivered in record time. No excuses. No variation. Just results. Nigerians can see the difference. We are proud of your dedication to duty,” he told the minister.

The Nigerian leader maintained that the project aligns with his administration’s priorities, “which aim to improve governance and the rule of law by implementing judicial reforms, restructuring the judiciary, and increasing funding to ensure a just, rule-based society.”

He continued: “This complex is world-class. With two large and eight smaller courtrooms, cases will now receive speedy attention. This will go a long way toward ensuring justice for all, upholding the rule of law, maintaining law and order in the Federal Capital Territory, and reducing congestion in our correctional centres. This is how you honour the Judiciary. This is how you strengthen democracy.

“Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, the Renewed Hope Agenda is not a slogan. It is action. We said we would restore the dignity of our institutions. We are doing it for the Judiciary. We are doing it in health, education, roads, and power. Brick by brick, we are rebuilding Nigeria.”

Thanking the FCT Minister further for domesticating his administration’s policies on judicial reforms, President Tinubu said, “I am therefore pleased by the concrete efforts made by the Minister of the FCT to domesticate this policy thrust by building more courts, constructing befitting residences for judicial officers, digitising judicial processes in the Territory, and providing solid support for legal education.

For the judges, the President acknowledged that they serve the nation under immense pressure, even as he listed what he described as the heavy docket being carried by the Abuja Division of the appellate court, including election petitions and constitutional matters.

“The eyes of Nigeria are on you. You deserve an environment that matches the weight of your responsibility. This complex is not a favour. It is your right. And we will do more,” he added.

Earlier, President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, said that the impact of the complex on the administration of justice cannot be overemphasized.

She noted that before the court complex was built, the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal was operating with only two courtrooms, adding that the lack of infrastructure had slowed the speedy delivery of justice over the years.

Justice Dongban-Mensem expressed confidence that the new complex will significantly improve the speed at which matters are resolved, stressing that the structure of the justice system must reflect the legal system it serves.

She thanked President Tinubu, Vice President Shettima, and the FCT Minister for recognizing the need to improve the justice sector as one of the institutions that guarantees stability and democracy.

In his welcome address, FCT Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike said he had informed President Tinubu of the need to intervene in the deplorable state of the court, and the President approved the provision of a befitting complex for the Court of Appeal, as well as residences for judges.

He disclosed that the President also ordered interventions not only in the Court of Appeal but also in the National Industrial Court, the Federal High Court, and the Code of Conduct Tribunal in the FCT.

He explained that the independence of the judiciary is difficult to achieve when judges do not have a befitting work environment and adequate residences.

For his part, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), said while the new court building represents a 50th-anniversary gift to the judiciary, it also coincided with the third anniversary of the Tinubu administration.

He added that President Tinubu has continued to make substantial provisions for the judiciary since assuming office.

According to him, no administration in Nigeria’s recent history has provided the level of support that President Tinubu has approved for the judiciary.