The Vice Chairman, Gwagwalada branch of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), David Aigbefoh, has called on the Federal Government to consider judicial autonomy as necessary for the development of the country’s judicial sector.
Aigbefoh, who made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gwagwalada, on Sunday, said if granted, judicial autonomy would go a long way to strengthen the nation’s justice system.
He lamented that the judiciary workers’ strike had now crippled Nigeria’s judiciary at both state and federal levels for over 7 weeks.
“The legislative and Judicial arms of the government these days seem to be a tool for the interests of the Executive.
“The Constitution which is the grund norm, provides for separation and balance of powers among the three arms of government.
“Typical to every federation is the decentralisation of the sovereign powers of the government between a number of constituent authorities/regions, so that each authority retains some degree of control of the federal state,” he said.
He said that in other to move the country forward, there must be conscious and proactive schemes that would alleviate the hardship suffered by the general population.
According to him, a reading of Section 40 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, and Section 48 (1) of the Trade Dispute Act (TDA), 2004, made the strike action by JUSUN, not only legal but also, necessary.
“I call on the executive and the legislature to do the needful in order to achieve judiciary financial autonomy,” he said. (NAN)
