President-elect Bola Tinubu has pledged to prioritize a comprehensive reform of the judiciary system and better working conditions to ensure efficient service delivery.
Speaking in Rivers state during the commissioning of the new 24 courtrooms Rivers State Magistrate Court, Tinubu praised Governor Nyesom Wike for his efforts in fighting corruption through improved welfare and a conducive work environment for the state’s judiciary.
Tinubu reiterated the need for judges to work in comfortable conditions, to avoid temptation for corruption and ensure fair dispensation of justice. He promised to review all policies that affect the judiciary in his policy tink-tank.
Tinubu also responded to feedback about his “I don’t owe you anything” statement, which followed Wike’s request for a refund of money spent by the Rivers State Government on upgrading federal roads. He clarified that as an incoming president, he cannot commit to expenditure on behalf of the outgoing president, but appreciated Wike for his support.
He said “To look at a different angle to what Wike has done here today, he is fighting corruption. This is the way to fight corruption. You don’t expect your judges to operate, or dispense justice in squalor.
“This is part of the changes necessary in our policy tink-tank. We must fight corruption, looking at the other side of the coin. If you do not want your judges to be corrupt, pay attention to their welfare. You want a fair dispensation of justice, and then do not let them work in hazardous conditions.
“Let’s think value for value. If I don’t have consumer credit and you want me to pay for the car I needed, at say N5 million, N6 million, that is a very big temptation for corruption. But if you have consumer credit, that will reduce the propensity for corruption.
“We don’t want our judges, justices, to play foul, compromise justice. Not just the books but do something. I promise we are going to review all of these in our policy think tank.”
On the conflicting feedback from his “I don’t owe you anything” statement on Wednesday, to Wike’s request for a refund of money spent by Rivers State Government on the upgrade of federal roads, the President-elect said “Whatever you say about owing or no owing, I am very grateful to the man (Wike) who brought me here. He did not ask for personal commitment. He asked for a policy commitment that an incoming President has no authority to offer and approve.
“There can only be one President at a time. I cannot commit to expenditure on behalf of the outgoing President when my tenure has not started. Get educated, be informed, please.”
Meanwhile, Governor Wike expressed concern over the lack of maintenance culture in Nigeria, citing examples of government structures built and abandoned. He advocated for a sustainable maintenance plan for infrastructure to ensure its longevity and usefulness.
Governor Wike said, “I feel so bad that you built a structure as this, and those responsible for maintaining it make a mess of it when you come back in six months and you ask yourself why did I even have to build it.
“We lack maintenance culture. Just like when we handed over the Law School to the Council of Legal Education. The state government gave N400milion; to say put it in an account for maintenance of this structure. We provided revenue-generating properties to make the school self-sustaining.
“We never wanted a situation where they will make excuses, to say the federal government has not released subventions or that the money released is too small. So we say let the federal government pay you salaries, but take these incentives and ensure proper maintenance of the place. But I was told the other day there was no light, no water in the school. I can’t understand our system.”
