The call by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) for President Bola Tinubu to halt the provision of cars and houses to judges by executive officials is necessary to prevent any erosion of public confidence in the judiciary.
Development Diaries reports that SERAP has urged President Tinubu to ‘stop’ the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and Nigeria’s 36 governors from usurping the authority and responsibilities of the National Judicial Council and heads of courts by giving cars and houses to judges.
This practice raises serious concerns regarding the independence of Nigeria’s judiciary.
Judges receiving incentives in the form of gifts from the executive compromises the separation of powers, weakening the judiciary’s ability to remain impartial and serve as a check on executive overreach.
It also fuels public suspicion that undue external pressures may influence court rulings.
At a time when Nigerians already struggle to trust their government, actions like this only make people even more doubtful about the fairness of the country’s justice system.
The judiciary risks being viewed as weakened or subject to political interests despite its ideal status as a stronghold of justice and the rule of law.
A 2021 State of Freedom in Nigeria Report revealed that about 71 percent of Nigerians did not trust the judiciary. Also, Afrobarometer Survey (2022) revealed that only 27 percent of Nigerians expressed trust in the judiciary, indicating a significant decline in confidence compared to previous years.
Furthermore, a 2021 NOIPolls survey found that about 44 percent of Nigerians believe that the judiciary is influenced by political pressure, while 40 percent think corruption is prevalent among judicial officers, leading to a lack of trust in the system’s independence and fairness.
To restore trust, it is vital that the judiciary remains independent and funded properly through existing constitutional channels rather than through discretionary gifts from politicians.
It is important for President Tinubu to immediately direct governors and federal officials to cease providing such unauthorised incentives.
Instead, his administration should focus on institutional reforms that enhance judicial welfare through transparent and constitutionally approved mechanisms.
Development Diaries calls on President Tinubu to take decisive action to end these questionable practices to demonstrate his administration’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and the rule of law.
Such steps would be a critical move toward rebuilding public confidence in Nigeria’s judiciary, which is essential for sustaining democracy and ensuring that citizens have access to impartial and effective justice.
