Wike Tasks Judiciary On Meeting Nigerians’ Expectations

By Remi Johnson

In line with the popular saying that the judiciary is the last hope of the common man, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has called on the judiciary to brace up with the task of administering justice to meet the expectations of Nigerians, especially with the numerous election appeals before it.

Wike made the call while speaking at the 2023/2024 Legal Year Ceremony of the Court of Appeal in Abuja.

He explained that the present administration of President Bola Tinubu would continue to rely on the judiciary to maintain stability, peace, and progress in the country.

He reiterated the FCT Administration’s commitment to implement reforms that would restore the glory of the FCT and make it a source of pride among nations, even as he called the judiciary to support the FCT in its drive to build a better Abuja.

He commended the President of the Court of Appeal for the nine Justices that were recently sworn in, adding that it would go a long way to reduce the workload of the Justices of the Court.

“We recognize that a strong and independent judiciary is pivotal to the preservation of justice, the protection of citizens’ rights, and the overall well-being of our society. The public has tremendous faith in the decisions of this Court and the Court has a responsibility to live up to that trust.

“Therefore, we are resolute in our determination to provide the necessary support to ensure the efficient functioning of the Court. We are not unaware of some of the challenges confronting the justices of this Honourable Court in the FCT, especially the problems associated with their accommodation. We will look closely at this matter and see how it can best be mitigated,” Wike said.

Earlier, the President of the appellate court, Dongban-Mensen, said a total of 39,526 appeal cases were pending at the court as of August 31, in addition to pending 34,037 cases in the 2021/2022 legal year.

She assured the public that the court would continue to discharge its responsibilities by ensuring that appeals were heard timely.

On his part, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, promised that the Tinubu administration would address the issue of the shortage of justices at the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.

Edited By Grace Namiji