EKET (AKWA IBOM) – A lawyer, Mr Victor Batta, has said that financial autonomy of the judiciary would limit the influence of the executive arm on the bench and make the legal system more effective.
Batta told newsmen in Eket, Akwa Ibom, that the 1999 constitution provided for separation of powers among the three arms of government.
He urged federal and state governments to obey the court order granting the judicial arm finsncial autonomy.
Reports state that Justice Adeniyi Ademola had in 2014 ordered the Federal and State governments to grant financial autonomy to the judiciary.
However, following the non-compliance with the order the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) resumed its strike on January 2.
The lawyer said that if the judiciary was independent, it would correct some of the lapses that had hindered the effective performance of judicial officers.
“I support the judiciary to be independent; separation of powers should be real and factual.
“Judiciary should be empowered to do whatever they want to do and not to do what they are not supposed to do,’’ he said.
Batta appealed to the government to dialogue with JUSUN and resolve the lingering strike by the Judiciary workers across the country.
“The earlier the government sits down to resolve the matter the better for everybody.
“They should look at it critically. There is no justification for not obeying court judgment. The judgment of the court must be obeyed by the executive,’’ he said.
He lamented that the strike had affected activities at superior courts and magistrates’ courts across the country.
