President Goodluck Jonathan and Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Dahiru Musdapher yesterday said that impartial judiciary was not negotiable in the country.
The duo stated this at the ongoing All Nigeria Judges’ Conference at the National Judicial Institute(NJI) in Abuja.
The biennial conference with a theme titled:
“Towards the sustenance of Judicial Ethics in Nigeria” is usually organised by the NJI for the? Judges and Kadis of Superior Courts of record to exchange ideas on the development in the judiciary.
Declaring the conference open, President Jonathan said that the theme tallied “with our desire to effect the transformation of the entire polity.
“If our transformation agenda is to succeed and the Nigerian Project is to be a reality, then the Judiciary must continue to sustain its ethics and discharge its constitutional role and responsibilities creditably and within the purview of the constitution.
“Fair dispensation of justice is a core value of the judiciary. Fairness, Impartiality, Integrity and Incorruptibility are also values that the judiciary is expected to hold dear and individual judges must take seriously”.
The president stressed that the ability of the Judges to discharge their constitutional responsibilities “is hinged, among others, on keeping to these ethics which are indeed unique to the Judiciary.
This, no doubt, will continue to earn you the much desired public confidence and trust in your institutions.
“ I must state for the records that the Nigerian Judiciary has contributed immensely to the growth, development and continued unity of Nigeria as a country.
Your Lordships have, at some of the most critical periods in our history as a Nation, come to prove yourselves as the bridge and the unifying arm of Government.
“No one can deny the importance of the judiciary to the stability of our nation. As a government established on the foundation of the rule of law, we will continue to respect the independence of the Judiciary and provide you with all the support you might need to carry out your duties.
Jonathan pointed out that the administration was, however, concerned about the slow dispensation of Justice in several cases.