Decent Accomodation For Judges Constitutional Obligations- ADC, Says Not Worthy Of Celebration

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has declared that there was nothing to celebrate in an administration providing suitable accomodations for Judges.

It condemned the All Progressives Congress’s (APC) celebration of the commissioning of residential quarters for judges, describing it as a shameless, unethical and inappropriate spectacle that further erodes public confidence in the independence of the Judiciary.

ADC spokesman, Bolaji Abdullahi, in a statement on Friday, pointed out that “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.

“The issue is therefore not the construction of the quarters in itself, but the dangerous impression of the Executive arm of government presenting itself as the benefactor of another constitutionally independent arm.

“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.

“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.