The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, has said that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Judicial Council will reconsider the issue of the enforcement of judgements emanating from the ECOWAS Court.
He disclosed this on Thursday while speaking to State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, after he led members of the ECOWAS Judicial Council to meet with President Bola Tinubu.
He said that two committees had been set up by the ECOWAS Judicial Council, one to examine rules and the other to examine the execution of community court judgements.
NEWS FLASH:
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu @officialABAT hosts the ECOWAS Judicial Council delegation at the State House, led by Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola (GCON), who also chairs the ECOWAS Judicial Council. pic.twitter.com/gksSNsCbuS
— Voice of Nigeria (@voiceofnigeria) February 22, 2024
Reacting to the admonition given by Nigeria’s Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Latest Fagbemi, on Tuesday, at the Statutory ECOWAS Judicial Council meeting in Abuja, who expressed the need for the ECOWAS Court of Justice to strengthen its jurisdiction and watch against pronouncing judgements and orders that are unenforceable.
Ariwoola, who said he had been elected as Chairman of the ECOWAS Judicial Council when asked if the issue raised by Fagbemi came up in the discussions with President Tinubu, said he already told him that that matter would receive attention from the Council.
“Attorney-General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), gave that as part of his pitch at the opening session on Tuesday, and that is part of my remarks to Mr President, also this morning, that the issue of the enforcement of the judgements of the community court is going to be looked into.
“We’ve set up two committees; one to look into the rules and the other to look into the position or status of the enforcement of judgements by the community court, and as I told Mr President, by the time the Council concludes its meeting, the recommendations will show that we have worked so hard to support the Commission,” he said.
Speaking about the meeting held with President Tinubu, Ariwoola said, “The meeting with the President went on beautifully. This is a courtesy visit to Mr. President by the ECOWAS Judicial Council, and as the Chief Justice of Nigeria, I was elected the Chairman of the ECOWAS Judicial Council.
“The Council has been having its meeting at the Council Hall of the National Judicial Council since Tuesday, and that’s why we planned to visit Mr President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and we were granted the honour to make this visit to appraise His Excellency about what transpired at our meeting.
“We planned to submit our recommendations to the authority when we conclude our meeting. It has been wonderful,” he said.
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