The Nigerian Senate says it is poised to working with the Judiciary on actions that will stabilise the polity and strengthen the nation’s democracy.
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio made this known to State House Correspondents on Monday, after the Swearing in ceremony of the newly confirmed Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, by President Bola Tinubu.
Akpabio urged Justice Kekere-Ekun to work with all arms of government while also tasking her to ensure harmony in compliance to decisions of the Apex court and protect the Nigerian judiciary against divisive decisions.
“Well she should work with other arms of government to ensure the stability of the polity and to make sure particularly at the lower level at the court of appeal different divisions will not bring out different decisions ,so we should be able to predict, it is worrisome.
“We are not a rubber stamp We make sure we take action that will stabilise the polity.
“The doctrine that is espoused in the judiciary that is a decided decision should be followed and whenever they the superior court of record takes a decision the lower ones should automatically adhere.
Introduce reforms
In addition, the Senate President said that the National Assembly expects the newly sworn in CJN to introduce reforms that would decongest the Nigerian prisons thereby enhancing the will of justice and reducing cases awaiting trials.
“Those are the kind of things we expect, we want her to also bring improvement interms of prison decongestion and awaiting trial, they should speed up the will of justice there are too many people awaiting justice in land matters and you will see people being sent to prison to some eight years and then later sentenced to two years in prison, what happens to the additional five years they spent. So she still have to bring reforms to the judiciary and the National Assembly is very poised to support the judiciary.
Highlighting Justice Kekere-Ekun’s experience, from her time as a Magistrate to her role as a judge in Lagos, Akpabio applauded her qualification and what he described as the incorruptible nature of the new CJN.
He also described the CJN as “highly qualified” with a “very high moral standard” and “incorruptible.”
“In every respect she’s highly qualified and already she was sworn in as acting Chief Justice of Nigeria and if you look at the progression and their succession in the Supreme Court, she’s in the right decision and is not that we jumped into the conclusion
“If you look at the her pedigree, she’s of very high moral standard, the woman very incorruptible ,right from when she was a Magistrate and as a judge in lagos so I know her pedigree.
“Nigeria can boost as yet again the judiciary where remain upright under her watch and the common man can get justice.” Akpabio added.
Lateefah Ibrahim
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