• Says project undermines judicial independence
Chuks Okocha in Abuja
African Democratic Congress (ADC) has condemned the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) for celebrating the commissioning of residential quarters for judges.
ADC described the project as shameless, unethical, and an inappropriate spectacle that further eroded public confidence in the independence of the judiciary.
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, ADC stated, “Let it be clearly understood: judges deserve decent accommodation, adequate security and proper welfare.
“However; these must not be packaged as personal achievement of government officials or as favours from politicians. They are constitutional obligations of government funded by the Nigerian taxpayer.”
ADC said the issue was not the construction of the quarters per se, but the dangerous impression of the executive arm of government presenting itself as the benefactor of another constitutionally independent arm.
According to the spokesman of ADC, “Neither President Bola Tinubu nor Minister Nyesom Wike is therefore entitled to personal acclaim for discharging responsibilities financed from public funds.
“What the APC has done, by awarding personal acclaim to both the president and his minister for building houses for judges is to create the impression that the welfare of judges is subject to the whims and caprice of government officials or to executive benevolence.”
Abdullahi added, “In every constitutional democracy governed by the principle of separation of powers, the Judiciary must never be placed in a position where its welfare can be publicly portrayed as a favour granted by political actors whose actions and interests may ultimately come before the courts.
“What makes this development particularly troubling is the APC’s attempt to glorify President Tinubu and Minister Wike as patrons of the judiciary. This action alone creates the unmistakable appearance that judicial welfare is dependent on executive benevolence rather than constitutional entitlement.
“It sends the wrong signal to Nigerians and inevitably raises legitimate concerns about the proper boundaries between the executive and the judiciary.”
The statement added, “This is particularly disturbing given the widespread perception that the President and this particular minister, Wike already wield undue influence over the judiciary.
“The statement by the ruling party celebrating the duo can only give further credence to this belief. After all, he who pays the piper dictates the tune.”
ADC explained, “It is noteworthy that the APC attempted to portray the project as part of government efforts to strengthen judicial independence. This is an Orwellian irony.
“Judicial independence is not achieved by the number of buildings commissioned by politicians. Rather, it is measured by institutional autonomy, financial independence, security of tenure, freedom from political pressure and the confidence of citizens that judges are accountable only to the constitution and the law.”
