₦airaland Forum

Afam Osigwe, president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), says it is unconstitutional for members of the cabinet or governors to be giving gifts to judges.

Osigwe spoke on Thursday during Politics HQ, a programme on News Central TV.

The NBA president’s comments came months after Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), announced the construction of quarters for judges in Abuja.

In September, the FCT minister flagged off the construction of 40 houses for judges in Abuja, which sparked a public outrage.


He said 20 of the houses, when completed, would be allocated to judges of the FCT high court, while 10 would be given to the judges of the federal high court and 10 to those of the court of appeal.

However, Wike had denied the claim that the houses were being constructed to pocket the judges for political gains.

The minister said the construction of homes for judges is part of President Bola Tinubu’s welfare packages designed to promote the independence of the judiciary.


But Osigwe noted that the executive arm of government has no business directly providing the judiciary with its needs, noting that such gestures undermine the autonomy of judges.

Osigwe asked the judiciary to decline acts of “benevolence,” emphasising that judges must not condone practices with potential hidden agendas.

“In any situation where a governor gathers judges or brings a chief judge or any person whatsoever to display to the public that he’s giving them cars as if he’s doing them a favour, it is condemnable,” he said.

“It is unconstitutional, it is demeaning, and it takes away from the independence of the judiciary.


“No member of the executive should do that for the judiciary. The judiciary should be able to manage its budget and acquire what it needs without being subjected to these public displays that diminish its independence.

“The executive cannot go to the legislature or judiciary seeking gifts. If judicial needs are budgeted items, they should be handled within the framework of judicial independence.

“Anything outside of this demeans the institution. Such acts of benevolence must be rejected; they should not tolerate practices that could have ulterior motives, whether or not such motives are apparent.”

The NBA president also called for an end to the notion of executives being seen as a “big brother” to the judiciary in determining what it gets.


He added that budgetary allocations for the judiciary should go through proper channels and must not be handed out like gifts, which according to him, is “humiliating” and “takes away from their independence”

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https://www.thecable.ng/it-takes-away-their-independence-nba-president-says-judges-must-reject-gifts-from-governors/

The Judiciary is in the pocket of the executives

You reject, they remove you and you regret las las.
Corruption should be shamed at all levels beginning from petty internet fraud

Such can’t happen, judges and gifts from Politicians are 5&6

Reject ko rejoice ni, na only executive and legislative arms of government sabi good things?

Wike is an anyhow somebody. Agbero man
Later you hear him talk about rule of law.
Olë

Even if can happen it will definitely not under Tinubu that surrounds himself with his fellow rascals like Wike.

His rush for financial autonomy to LG is to reduce the influence of Governors so he can take advantage of that during elections especially in states where he has resistance and opposition, he will then bribe and use the chairmen directly to grab and run away with it.

Autonomy should have been comprehensive
Judiciary
LG
State Houses of Assembly
CBN
EFCC
INEC
And other sensitive government agencies if the government is since with its motive


It is now on record that Nigerians will experience worst Christmas and new Year celebration in history under Tinubu yet you tell me about imaginary reforms?

Gifts are gifts... They are not Greek gifts

In that case Sir, as president of the NBA use your office to create code of conduct policies for lawyers in the country.

Condemnations shouldn’t be your only response, but actions. House allowances should be a part of the Judges entitlements of office and not a gesture of goodwill from the executive.

Also, try to fix the looming corruption in the judiciary, it reeks too much. Hadi Sirika granted bail of N100m and the case postponed till more than a year later. As Mr Osibanjo once said, the judiciary needs to process cases in a timely manner. How long did it take P-diddy to be incarcerated?

https://businessday.ng/news/article/alleged-n19-4bn-fraud-hadi-sirika-former-aviation-minister-gets-bail/?amp

From everybody with a potential to have a case before them

A day or reckoning will come

Reminds me of that book "The Incorruptible Judge."
The only way to remain unbiased in your judgement is to outrightly reject these gifts in whatever form they're offered.

DonBenny77:
Wike is an anyhow somebody. Agbero man
Later you hear him talk about rule of law.
Olë

Wike is a drunkard

k

There is a judicial service commission and they should handle these things.

There are too many anomalies.

Don't bother. We all know that it is unlikely to happen

RealityKings1:
Gifts are gifts... They are not Greek gifts

Every gift is a bribe

ebexofficial:
You reject, they remove you and you regret las las.
Corruption should be shamed at all levels beginning from petty internet fraud

In other words, everybody/sector is corrupt so the Judidiary should also be allowed to chop their own

So the judiciary doesn't have its own budget? Then how is it an independent arm of the government?

Good one Afam Osigwe.
Nigeria’s judiciary has become a den of criminals where people like Wicked now manipulate with ease.

Dey play

Even Afam himself go collect free house as a Judge.

Tallesty1:
Every gift is a bribe

He doesn't know

You're right

Christ4ever:
Dey play

Even Afam himself go collect free house as a Judge.

No he won't. That's why he's speaking up!!!!

This is absurd and does the nation no good.

datola:
In other words, everybody/sector is corrupt so the Judidiary should also be allowed to chop their own

until we begin to question how people get their money and not worship the person because he/she has made money, everyone would always strive to make money by whatever means

Christ4ever:
Dey play

Even Afam himself go collect free house as a Judge.

He did not say reject gifts from Ministers or former Governors. 🤣

Do we have judiciary in Nigeria.

If them gift him 1tr,will he reject?

Too late. The cankerworm has eaten deep

Okay

All the ones that Nyezom Wike gave judges over 8 years while he was Rivers governor in PDP nko? These generational drug traffickers think everyone is an idiot like them.

Meanwhile, only a mentally unstable bastard will think that judges do not deserve good accommodation or that it is the Chief Justice of the Federation that should be building houses for judges

manmade:
Reject ko rejoice ni, na only executive and legislative arms of government sabi good things?

Please use your head before you comment.

Boldly saying this in a national television by the Afam Osigwe, in this era and the of sycophancy is commendable.
I suggest NBA do more collaboration with Judicial Services Commission to see how the Judiciary can be salvaged from the politicians.

Way to go Mazi Afam.
Na Igbo go save Nigeria