The controversy elicited not too long ago by the development of 40 items of residential flats for Judges of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Excessive Court docket, Federal Excessive Court docket and The Court docket of Enchantment in Abuja underscores the expectations for a very impartial judiciary unencumbered by any constraint or compromise. On the one hand, some individuals really feel strongly that such a gesture undermines the independence of the judiciary for the manager to advertise the judiciary’s welfare, reasonably than permit the judiciary as an establishment to cater for its welfare.
Though the federal government has denied any try and tamper with the judiciary’s independence, they need to be conscious that notion is essential in any dealing; and that on this occasion, the notion is excessive that the manager is paying the judiciary; and can consequently be ready to dictate the tune. This isn’t the intendment of the Nigerian structure or the prevailing democracy.
The priority provoked by the gesture of the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike must be understood inside the context of notion, not less than in some circles, of the declining integrity of the Nigerian judiciary. Undoubtedly, the welfare of judges ought to stay a precedence for the federal government at nationwide and sub-national ranges. The welfare of judges must be statutorily assured reasonably than diminished to the topic of benevolence by political leaders. Points regarding the welfare of judges ought to by no means be dealt with in a way that fuels suspicion or the presumption of supplanting the independence of the judiciary.
The damaging notion of the Nigerian judiciary must be unsettling even when a preponderance of uncomplimentary narratives relating to the justice system seems largely unfounded. For the judiciary to retain its status because the frequent man’s final hope, judges’ integrity should neither be doubtful nor change into topic to infinite controversies. The independence of the judiciary stays a cardinal precept which presupposes that the temple of justice is past inhibition. When justice is seen to have been carried out, judges are usually not solely held in excessive esteem however, extra importantly, immense honour is completed to the justice system’s integrity. Asserting judicial integrity subsequently entails deliberate and aware efforts to which establishments and related stakeholders; notably practitioners within the authorized occupation have to be absolutely dedicated.
Nevertheless, it ought to be deemed reasonably unlucky and an enormous dis-service to the judiciary for the welfare of judges that should be taken as a right as statutorily earned has been diminished to the topic of tokenism.
The federal government ought to prioritise funding within the welfare of judges as demonstrated by the 300% rise in judges’ salaries following the Judicial Workplace Holders Salaries and Allowances Invoice signed into legislation by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in August 2025. Nevertheless, the general public expectation is that every one bills related with the welfare of judges and funding of the administration of justice must be duly appropriated and handled as precedence spending. By this, the judiciary and judges might be insulated from unmitigated and avoidable debates that impugn the integrity of establishments and personalities within the judiciary. Rivalry over the appropriateness or in any other case of extending extra-statutory privileges of judges has accentuated scathing criticism of the Nigerian judiciary which is regrettable.
It must be instructive that the President of the Nigerian Bar Affiliation (NBA), Mr. Afam Osigwe voiced opposition to the observe by political actors performing as benefactors of judges within the guise of catering for his or her welfare. The NBA President who described such observe as unconstitutional and demeaning, decried a scenario “the place a governor gathers judges or brings a chief choose or any particular person in any respect to show to the general public that he’s giving them automobiles as if he’s doing them a favour,” The opinion of the NBA President must be deemed apt within the quest to safeguard the judiciary and defend judges from pointless public opprobrium. It’s recalled that Chief Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun throughout her screening by the Senate in September 2024, promised to revive the integrity of the judiciary and particularly vowed “to insulate the judiciary, push for higher welfare for judicial officers to make sure they carry out at their optimum.”
Due to this fact, it’s anticipated that management of the bar and the bench will prioritise dedication to securing the welfare of judges via a statutory framework that can assert the integrity of the judiciary. It’s pertinent to reiterate that prioritisation of the welfare of judges is authentic and subsequently have to be accorded recognition with utmost sense of decorum with out dramatisation. It sends incorrect alerts when political actors; notably elected officers, publicly present the welfare of judges, which should be statutorily assured with requisite appropriation. Some have even posited that cash for the welfare of judges must be appropriated to the judiciary instantly and left for the arm of presidency to dispense it accordingly.
The preeminence place of the judiciary is anchored on its independence which derives from the precept of separation of powers which stays the hallmark of democracy. To a big extent, subsequently, the discharge of the accountability of justice is perceived not solely when it comes to judgment but in addition on account of the choose’s integrity. It’s subsequently crucial to make sure that the independence of the judiciary will not be, by motion or inaction, perceived or presumed to have been subsumed because the benevolence of the manager arms of presidency. In a scenario the place the prevalence of political issues most of the time requires the intervention of the judiciary as an neutral arbiter, it turns into much more incumbent on judges to attempt to be cautious of overtures that intensify the notion of compromise able to undermining their integrity.
