Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta and Vice-Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that only an independent judiciary would guarantee an effective rule of law in Nigeria.
Okowa stated this on Monday, July 4, in his keynote address at the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) – Section on Legal Practice (SLP) 2022 Annual Conference in Asaba.
The conference has as its theme, “Legal Practice in Nigeria: Our Reality, Our Future.”
Okowa said that the NBA leadership deserved commendations for its continued fight for the rule of law and for holding the executive arm of government accountable to the principles of fairness, equity, and justice.
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He lauded the NBA for holding the conference in Asaba, one of Nigeria’s fastest-growing cities while assuring that his administration would continue to support financial autonomy for the judiciary and the legislative arm of the state.
The governor said;
The courts and the legal profession must continue to adapt to cope with rapid changes like cross-jurisdictional legal issues and resolve disputes over business activities in the virtual world.
Of equal importance is the need for the Nigerian Bar Association to continue championing the welfare and well-being of legal practitioners and members of the Judiciary.
The Delta State Government is working to provide a framework under which the Judiciary and the legal profession can respond positively to these challenges, hence in 2021, I signed into law the Delta State Judiciary Fund Management (Financial Autonomy).
While he agreed that much work remained to attain genuine financial autonomy, he said that the law marked a critical first step for the independent control of the Judiciary’s internal fiscal management and appropriations.
Okowa further explained;
My administration has and will continue to support the notion that judicial finance should be exercised free of interference by the executive branch of government in the same manner that the executive and legislative branches administer the funds appropriated for their internal operations.
This is because there can be no rule of law without a guarantee of independence for the judiciary.
Protecting the independence of judges and courts in the interest of the administration of justice includes giving them the substantial resources they need to fully perform their judicial duties properly and efficiently.
He also said that guaranteeing them financial autonomy would enable them to consider cases fairly and within a reasonable time as required by Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
