President Bola Tinubu has urged judicial officers to ensure that justice is delivered swiftly, fairly and without regard to a litigant’s social status, ethnicity or financial standing.
Tinubu gave the counsel on Monday while commissioning the new Court of Appeal, Abuja division complex in Dakibiyu.
Tinubu who was represented by Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima said: “To My Lords Justices, as you move into this complex, Nigeria asks one thing of you: let justice be swift. Let it be fair. Let it be blind to status, tribe, or purse. Let the common man feel that this Court is truly his last hope.”
The president said delays in the administration of justice undermine public confidence in the judiciary and democratic governance.
His words: “A nation that seeks justice must respect the temple of justice. When I visited and saw the condition, I gave a simple instruction: fix it. Today, we have fixed it.”
Tinubu commended Barr. Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), for delivering the project within the agreed timeline.
His words: “You took the assignment to deliver this project in May 2024. By July, contractors were on site. You promised 16 months. You delivered in record time. No excuses. No variation. Just results. Nigerians can see the difference. We are proud of your dedication to duty.”
The president said the project aligns with his administration’s judicial reform agenda and commitment to strengthening democratic institutions.
“This complex is world-class. With two large and eight smaller courtrooms, cases will now receive speedy attention.
“This will go a long way toward ensuring justice for all, upholding the rule of law, maintaining law and order in the Federal Capital Territory, and reducing congestion in our correctional centres. The Renewed Hope Agenda is not a slogan. It is action.
“We said we would restore the dignity of our institutions. We are doing it for the Judiciary. We are doing it in health, education, roads, and power. Brick by brick, we are rebuilding Nigeria.”
Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, president of the court of appeal, said the new complex would significantly improve the speed and efficiency of justice delivery.
She said the Abuja division previously operated with only two courtrooms, a situation that constrained the court’s ability to promptly determine cases.
On his part, Wike said Tinubu approved the project after being briefed on the poor state of facilities available to the court, adding that the president also approved interventions in other federal courts and judicial institutions within the territory.
