Toba Owojaiye reporting
Abuja, Nigeria
Recently, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, attended a foundation-laying event for a new housing project in Abuja, designed to provide 40 housing units for judicial officers.
Truth Live News gathered that this move sparked debates, particularly on social media, about the perceived implications of the judiciary’s involvement in a project spearheaded by the executive branch.
The event, held on October 21, 2024, marks the beginning of an N50 billion housing project located in Katampe, Abuja, covering 5.2 hectares. It aims to provide five-bedroom duplexes, Boys Quarters, event centers, security houses, and other amenities for Justices of the Court of Appeal, Judges of the Federal High Court, and Judges of the High Court of the FCT.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, emphasized that this initiative was not just an enhancement to judicial officers’ welfare but a measure to safeguard judicial independence from external influence.
The property includes 10 units each for Justices of the Court of Appeal and the Federal High Court, while High Court Judges of the FCT will receive 20 units. Notable figures in attendance included Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, President of the Court of Appeal, and Justice John Tsoho, Chief Judge of the FCT High Court. Many commended President Tinubu’s administration for prioritizing judicial welfare and aligning with the judiciary’s long-standing tradition of providing government-sponsored accommodations for judges.
However, prominent legal academic and columnist, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, raised concerns on social media, questioning the propriety of the CJN’s attendance and highlighting potential conflicts under Rule 2.8 of the Judicial Code of Conduct (2016). He questioned the intentions of the Executive in developing a judicial project on land previously revoked from construction giant Julius Berger.
Many Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) countered these concerns, viewing the critiques as an overreach. Prof. Yemi Akinseye George, SAN, a respected professor of public law, argued that the CJN’s support for the project does not compromise judicial independence. According to him, judicial independence isn’t a rigid concept and should be flexible enough to accommodate necessary interactions with other government branches. “Independence is a thing of the mind,” he said. “You can stay apart physically and still lack independence in thinking.”
As the debate continues, the legal community remains divided on the implications of the CJN’s participation in government-led initiatives.