The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), has urged the incoming Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Aloma Mukhtar to rebuild the waning confidence in the nation's judiciary.
Mr Gbenga Adefaye, President, NGE, made the call on Sunday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
Mukhtar, 68, will be sworn-in on Monday following the retirement of Justice Dahiru Musdapher, who attained the statutory retirement age of 70 years on July 14.
She will become the 13th chief justice and the first female to serve in that capacity.
Adefaye described Mukhtar's appointment as very significant and historic, adding that it was good for women empowerment.
He said:”The appointment is also very significant for our nation because it was based on merit.
“Ordinarily the Guild will not be drawn to matters that are out of its purview but we believe that she should restore confidence in the judiciary through the projection of integrity.”
Similarly, a human rights group, Access to Justice (AJ), on Sunday in a statement by Mr Joseph Otteh, its Executive Director said Mukhtar must address the enormous challenges facing the judiciary, including corruption.
“Mukhtar needs to take decisive first steps to demonstrate both to the public and other judicial officers that she will operate a zero-level tolerance for any conduct that carries a real risk of damaging public perception of judicial independence, integrity and accountability.”
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