***Urges Judiciary to ask itself how and why did it allow things to degenerate.

By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja.

Justice Alaba Omolaye-Ajileye, retired judge of Kogi State High Court has admonished Nigerians to to refrain from perceiving justice along regional or geo-political lines.

Justice Ajileye who was speaking at the 9th Annual Week of the Badagry branch of the Nigerian Bar Association spelt out the dangers inherent in seeing judges and the judgments they deliver from the prisms of religion, region or race.

He said that such perception would not only erode public trust and confidence in the Judiciary but make a mockery of the hallowed principles of the Rule of Law on which the Judiciary and the dispensation of Justice as a whole rest.

His Lordship Omolaye-Ajileye, a Nigeria’s foremost authority on the Law of Electronic Evidence, titled his lecture, “Leveraging Emerging Legal Challenges to the Rule of Law in the Prevailing Socio-economic Realities in Nigeria.”

He said: “Distinguished gentlemen of the Bar, whether we accept it or not, the truth remains that the public is watching what is going on in our courts and regularly and deeply questioning the rationale behind certain decisions, and rightly so.

“If there was ever a period where we expected the public to blindly trust the Judiciary, it is long gone. The trust necessary for the public to accept judicial decisions and court orders is fundamental to the Rule of Law.

“The Judiciary must continually ask itself, how and why did it allow things to degenerate to this level? This is because the Nigerian Judiciary had undoubtedly enjoyed high levels of trust in the past.

“The Judiciary must take this decline in public trust seriously. It cannot afford to be complacent. It is dangerous for it to assume that trust is ever-present. It must address this trust deficit.

“The public should and must be able to trust in the individual judges and the judiciary as an institution which wields immense power on its behalf.

“As Alexander Hamilton famously said, unlike the Executive and Legislature, the Judiciary has no influence over either ‘Sword or the Purse’ and ‘may truly be said to have neither force nor will, but merely judgment’.

“Armed with only the power of judgment, the Judiciary requires the legitimacy gained from public trust to function effectively to make the rule of law blossom. The general acceptance of judicial decisions, by citizens and by governments, is essential for peace, welfare, good government and the rule of law.

The corollary is also true. To distrust the judiciary is a ready recipe for anarchy. This is because citizens who trust the judiciary are more likely to engage with the legal system to address their legal issues and to co-operate with its processes”, he said

Justice Ajileye, who is currently with the Baze University, Abuja, also commented on the controversy surrounding the composition of the apex court’s presidential appeal court panel.

He said: “Still on the issue of trust, His Lordship, Hon. Justice Dattijo Muhammad, JSC (Rtd), recently made a statement at his valedictory that raises a jurisprudential question on securing public trust and justice.

“I quote Him: ‘To ensure justice and transparency in presidential appeals from the lower court, all geo-political zones are required to participate in the hearing.

“It is, therefore, dangerous for democracy and equity for two entire regions to be left out in the decisions that will affect the generality of Nigerians’.

“The grouse of His Lordship here is that both the North Central and South East geo-political zones were not represented in the panel of Justices of the Supreme Court that decided appeals that arose from the Presidential Election Tribunal to the apex court recently”, he said.

Ajiley said the jurist had held that the development was ‘dangerous for democracy and equity’ adding that His Lordship’s focus was on the absence of Justices from the North Central and South East geo-political zones in the panel.

“It was easy for social media commentators to quickly draw attention to the fact that the South West geo-political zone that parades the Chief Justice of Nigeria and two other eminent Justices of the Supreme Court was also not represented in the panel.

“According to the commentators, it was also in order to ensure ‘transparency and equity.’ The issue is neither here nor there.

“My humble position here is, it is better that the Judiciary, including the Supreme Court, be perceived as a homogeneous entity that serves the interest of all. It is dangerous to the society to perceive justice from the prisms of tribes, religions or geo-political divisions.

“Justice ought to remain an integral whole that does not admit of partition along tribal or geo-political bifurcation.

“It is also more dangerous if the impartiality of the Supreme Court is to wait for people to see the extent to which they have been represented by Justices who come from their geo-political zones.

“Secondly, with due respect, to perceive justice from geo-political lines is to trivialize justice. Justice is far more important than that.

“If we accept the intrinsic worth of every human being, then, justice becomes the minimum debt we owe to him, for if we deny him justice, we have declared him worthless.

“The dispenser of justice should, therefore, be a person that is even-handed, blind to all social distinctions and disparities in wealth, religion, tribe, status and no respecter of persons, just as justice itself should be.

“If a nation cannot look at their judges and see men and women who are upright enough to uphold the principle of the rule of law and do Justice to all manner of people without fear or favour, affection or ill-will, then, I will simply say that nation has lost it”, he said.

It would be recalled that Retired Justice Ajileye was noted for his high sense of honesty, integrity and hard work while on the Bench. (Ends)

By Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse

Jigawa state governor Malam Umar Namadi has approved the appointment of former zonal chairperson of the National Association of Women Journalist (NAWOJ) Hajiya Zainab  Shuaibu Rabo Ringim as his Senior Special Assistant on Media affairs and 116 other Assistant.

This was contained in a press statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Malam Bala Ibrahim which was made available to News Men in Dutse.

Hajiya Zainab a veteran  Journalist was a former staff of Radio Jigawa, a correspondent Of Radio Germany (Deutsch Welle) and former zonal vice chairman of the National Association of Women Journalist ( NAWOJ).

With her appointment, Zainab has become the first female to be appointed as media aid to any Jigawa state governor since the creation of the state in 1991.

The statement has also conveyed the approval for the appointment of other 116 Special Assistants and Senior Special Assistants.

According to the statement the appointment was based on merit, competence and personal integrity as it urged them to be honest and just in discharging their responsibilities.

“We have a big task ahead and you all must key into His Excellency’s 12 point strategic agenda, so as to build the Jigawa State of our dream”‘  The SSG declared

***As awardee dedicates award to NASS , others 

The Director General of National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies ( NILDS) , Professor Abubakar Olanrewaju Sulaiman is to be honored by President Bola Tinubu early next month, with 2023 Integrity and Public Servant of the Year Award.

This was as the awardee has dedicated the Award to the Leadership and Staff of the National Assembly, their counterparts in NILDS and the Media. 

Presentation of the Award  as contained in a  letter signed by Dr Mohammed Ibrahim, would be held at the State House Conference Centre. 

Dr  Ibrahim is the National  Coordinator of the Award – giving Institutions which are  the Public Service Institutes (PSI), Nigerian  Institute of Public Relations (NIPP) and Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) .

The DG NILDS as stated in the Award letter , titled : ” Nomination as a Public Servant of the Year” (Shehu Shagari Gold Medal),  

secured the highest number of votes after an extensive three-month consultation and rigorous voting process conducted by a panel of 51 members from the PCI – Technical Advisory Committee, representing five strategic public institutions in Nigeria.

Dr Ibrahim in the letter added that “” The Award presentation has received full endorsement from the presidency and technical support from the Public Service Institutes (PSI), Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, and Nigerian Television Authority (NTA)”, 

The letter further explained that the former Minister of National Planning,  has been recognized for his exceptional contributions to Nigeria’s democratic institutions, a recognition validated by esteemed national and international organizations.

“This year’s edition of the award will coincide with the Nigerian Regulators Conference & Retreat, where President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to present plaques and medals to deserving recipients.

“The Award is in  recognition of Professor Sulaiman’s  transformational leadership style and remarkable accomplishments over the years and in particular , in NILDS,  within the last five years”, Dr Ibrahim added in the letter. 

Reacting to the Award at the Head Office of NILDS on Tuesday, Professor Sulaiman said it was a pleasant surprise to him .

“I never knew that credible public institutions totalling 51, were observant of my contribution to national development in NILDS .

“I’m elated by the Award and see it as call to do more . I dedicate it to the leadership and members of the National Assembly , management and staff of NIILDS and of course , the media for the usual coverage and reportage of our activities geared towards deepening democratic governance in Nigeria “, he said.