President Muhammadu Buhari says his administration will continue to partner with the judiciary to ensure it is financially independent.
He gave the assurance in Abuja Monday at the opening ceremony of the 2021 biennial All Nigeria Judges’ Conference.
Buhari, represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, said: “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’ll 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.”
He said his administration, through the Ministry of Justice, in collaboration with the National Judicial Council, had been working towards resolving of some of the challenges confronting the judiciary.
Buhari lamented the delayed dispensation of justice; a lingering cause for concern among citizens.
“As My Lords are aware, delay in the dispensation of justice coupled with the increase in the number of cases in our courts have remained subjects of grave concern. As someone said, ‘our problem is not access to justice it is exiting the justice system.
“And I know that delays are not necessarily the fault of judges, lawyers are often responsible,” Buhari said.
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