NBA President Condemns Govts’, Ministers’ Car, Housing Donations to Judges as “Unconstitutional and Demeaning”
Nigerian Bar Association President Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, has denounced the practice of state governors and government officials giving judges vehicles, housing, and other perks in public, calling it unconstitutional and demeaning.
This move aims to uphold the integrity of the judiciary and prevent potential conflicts of interest. Osigwe’s stance emphasizes the importance of maintaining the independence and impartiality of the judiciary, ensuring that judges are not influenced by external factors.
Mazi Afam Osigwe condemned the FCT Minister’s recent donation of housing facilities to judicial officers, deeming it a threat to the judiciary’s independence and dignity. He expressed his concerns during a recent interview on News Central TV .
“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 favor…it is condemnable,” Osigwe stated. “It is unconstitutional, it is demeaning, and it takes away from the independence of the judiciary.”
The NBA President’s stance emphasizes the importance of maintaining the judiciary’s autonomy and upholding its integrity.
Osigwe argued that judicial needs, such as vehicles, courtrooms, or housing, should be included in the judiciary’s budget and managed independently. According to him, the executive branch has no business directly providing these items, as it undermines the judiciary’s autonomy.
“No member of the executive should do that for the judiciary,” Osigwe emphasized. “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.”
