Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, stated that the judiciary now predominantly serves politicians and influential figures in the country. He made this remark on Thursday during the groundbreaking ceremony for the N37 billion Abuja Division of the Appeal Court Complex at Daki-Biyu, attended by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
During the event, FCT Minister Wike revealed that President Bola Tinubu approved N30 billion of the N37 billion needed for the project’s inclusion in the 2024 budget. He assured that the structure would be completed by September 2025.
Despite his critique, AGF Fagbemi expressed optimism that the new complex would be a place where truth is revealed and people’s rights are protected.
Fagbemi remarked, “The days when the judiciary was considered the last hope of the common man are over. It is now the influential people who patronize the judiciary, not the common man. If you have any doubts, just observe the behavior of some people as the election approaches. With all due respect, they act like rain-beaten chickens. Forgive me, I don’t mean to be rude. So, the judiciary is no longer solely the last hope of the common man; it is now, or primarily, the last hope of the powerful.”
Other notable speakers at the event included the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola; President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem; and President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Yakubu Maikyau.
