Chief Justice Urges Politicians to Allow Judiciary Perform its Function

The Chief Justice of Nigeria ((CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, has called on politicians to allow the Judiciary, as an arm of government, to perform its function according to the laws of the country, and warned members of the Judiciary to leave politics for politicians, in a bid to discharge their duties.

The CJN, who disclosed this, in Ibadan, over the weekend, during a reception hosted by the Oyo State Government in his honour, expressed appreciation to Governor Makinde, saying having a CJN during during his tenure is remarkable.

Ariwoola stated: “I feel overwhelmed today and thank my Governor. I want to assure Nigerians that we are ready and waiting and we shall not let down Nigerians. This dinner that the governor has organised today is to give gratitude to God, because there is no way anybody would write about Seyi Makinde as governor of Oyo State and would not write that a CJN came from his place during his time as governor.”

He noted that what happened on the day of his swearing-in was more of a pacesetter event, as the national honour, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), is often given to the CJN upon being sworn-in, but as a child of Oyo, the Pacesetter State, he had been given the honour before he was sworn-in as the CJN.

Independent Judiciary
In his remarks, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, gave the assurance that his administration would continue to promote the independence of the Judiciary in the state, as he had created the enabling environment for the judicial arm of government to carry out its constitutional responsibilities, because it recognised that it is the bastion of hope for the common man.

Makinde said: “I am just glad and overjoyed that we are able to have this get-together to celebrate one of our own. I am short of words. I am thankful to God Almighty for this day and I see it as the beginning of many pacesetter things that will be happening in Oyo State.

“One thing we can take away from this gathering is that as for me, and other politicians, who recognise the fact that the judiciary is the hope of the common man, we will continue to allow the judiciary to function independently. The Judiciary will be allowed to continue to carry out its constitutional responsibilities,” the governor asserted.

The event had in attendance four other state governors, including Nyesome Wike (Rivers), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu); justices of the Supreme Court, the leadership of the Oyo State Judiciary, legal luminaries, top officials of the Oyo State Government and traditional rulers, among other dignitaries.

N.O