The Senate has said granting autonomy to the state judiciary by the executive arm of government will enhance the dispensation of justice across the country.
Last week, President Muhammadu Buhari assented to 16 bills of the 35 constitution amendment bills transmitted to the presidency in January 2023 which included the bill granting financial autonomy to state judiciary.
The chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, disclosed this during the screening and confirmation of the executive secretary-designate of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Mr Anthony Ojukwu (SAN) for another term and Hon. Justice Lawal Adekunle Stanley, as president-designate, FCT Customary Court of Appeal.
Bamaidele said the signing of fiscal autonomy for the state judiciary will aid the rapid dispensation of justice at the state level and also help in the decongestion of cases being handled at the state level.
He said, “Fiscal autonomy of the state judiciary will have a direct impact on the operations of the judiciary at the state level. especially in the decongestion of cases waiting for trial”
On the just-concluded elections across the country, Bamidele said ,” Even though a myriad of challenges were encountered in the course of the electoral process, we believe that the country will come back stronger than ever before.
“We may not have had perfect elections, however, there is a lot to learn from what transpired that will serve as guideposts to the country in our subsequent elections.”
On the nomination of Justice Lawal as President of FCT Customary Court of Appeal, he said , ” The appointment of was made by Mr. President, pursuant to Section 266 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, which provides that: “The appointment of a person to the Office of the President of the Customary Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja shall be made by the President on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council, subject to confirmation of such appointment by the Senate”.
“This appointment became necessary following the retirement of Hon. Justice Abbazih Musa Abubakar Saddeeq, after attaining the mandatory retirement age of 65 years, as provided in Section 291 (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended.”
During the screening, Justice Lawal appealed to the Senate to ensure that all issues related to family and matrimonial cases are handled by the Customary Courts instead of High Court.
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