The Vice-Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and Sokoto state governor, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has disclosed that the governors of the 36 States are unequivocally committed to the autonomy of the judiciary and the legislature.
Tambuwal added that the governors have all benefitted from the independence and professionalism of the judiciary, be it at the level of administering of Oath of Office or the electoral victory being upheld at the Tribunal or in Court in the interest of democracy, justice, and fairness.
Speaking at a special Attorney-General’s colloquium in honour of Justice Ayodeji Simon Daramola, the Chief Judge of Ekiti State on Wednesday, Tambuwal said, “the concept of judicial autonomy has its foundations in the time tested doctrine of separation of Powers.”
He explained that “the main object is to avoid autocratic government by eliminating the over concentration of powers in one person, agency or institution.
“It’s critical democratic elements is the principle of checks and balances between and among the three arms of government.”
Tambuwal noted that the recent misunderstanding on the financial autonomy of the Judiciary is predicated on the need to establish an implementation framework to the 4th Alteration of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Section 121(3), adding, “what we have questioned, and we have made this known at every opportunity, is the process of implementing this provision of the constitution.”
