The Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Mahmud Mohammed,
Tuesday, assured that under his leadership, the judiciary would not subscribe
to any plot to change the outcome of elections through the instrumentality of
the court.
The CJN who stated this while swearing-in Justice Ishaq
Bello as the new Chief Judge, CJ, for the Federal Capital Territory, said he
was aware that “some unpatriotic citizens may wish to use the courts to stop
the electoral process”.
He said: “Permit me to use this opportunity to again assure
all Nigerians that, under my leadership, the Judiciary remains resolute and
committed to do its constitutional duty during this election period.
Justice Mahmud Mohammed
Justice Mahmud Mohammed
“We will not be swayed or distracted from the course of
justice in any election matter that is before or comes before the justice
system.
“It bears reminding to all heads of courts that you are
primarily responsible for the preservation of our nation’s democracy. I
strongly advise all judicial officers not to allow any party or politician to
use the courts to truncate our nation’s democracy.
“We are aware that some unpatriotic citizens may wish to
use the courts to stop the electoral process and I wish to warn in clear terms
that we shall not be used as a tool for the breakdown of law and order in our
beloved country”, the CJN added.
Meantime, the CJN, while congratulating the new CJ for the
FCT High Court, Justice Bello, used the occasion to lament on the rising number
of corruption cases in the country.
According to the CJN, “As your Lordship takes the oath of
office and the oath of allegiance, it bears reminding that this oath is not to
a man only but is: “A solemn appeal to God”.
“It is therefore to God that you will be ultimately
responsible. It is from this oath that
your duties and responsibilities spring forth and has a binding effect. It is an ethical undertaking to do Justice as
well as uphold the Rule of Law in our Courts.
“As such, my Lord, yours is an especially onerous position,
but one which I believe that you are eminently qualified and capable of
excelling in.
“My Lord, as you are aware, your immediate predecessor is
the first Chief Judge of the FCT to retire and benefit from a valedictory
session. I urge you as the incoming Chief Judge to see this as a challenge and
aim to serve and retire with honour.
“To re-iterate, yours is a position of utmost
responsibility. This means that in all
that you are going to do, you are liable to be called upon to account. Full responsibility is an enormous challenge
to take on, and it can feel overwhelming. However, I am confident in your
ability and desire to excel.
“It is important to emphasize that in leadership, certain
indispensible qualities must stand out.
Your lordship must be thoughtful, considerate and temperate in
judgment. You must be aware that you are
now in the dock, as it were.
“As a leader, you are responsible for everything that
happens in your Court, and you may, quite rightly, be held accountable for
everything that happens, good or bad. I
therefore urge you to be thorough and diligent in the administration of the
courts, knowing full well that praise or condemnation is largely determined by
your conduct.
“I note with particular concern the number of corruption
cases that are pending before the FCT High Courts and the number that have been
returned by the Supreme Court to the trial courts. It bears reminding that
posterity does not wear a human face in its judgment.
“I counsel you to ensure that your work remains like
sterling silver that becomes more valuable with age. I therefore urge you to be proactive in
seeking out ways to improve justice delivery especially as pertains to the case
disposal rate in the FCT High Court of Justice”.
Justice Bello is taking over from the former CJ of the FCT
high court, Justice I.M. Bukar, who bowed out of active judicial service
yesterday having clocked the 60 years mandatory retirement age.
Earlier, a valedictory session was held in honour of the
retiring CJ, Justice Bukar by the FCT high court.
- www.vanguardngr.com
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