Of FG, NJC And Corrupt Judges

Apparently piqued by the Federal Government’s scornful disposition towards its recommenda-tions, the National Judicial Council (NJC), penultimate weekend, berated the Presidency and some state governments for shielding some corrupt judges.
In a statement signed by NJC’s Director of Information, Mr Soji Oye, the council expressed worry and displeasure over the refusal of the Presidency and some State governors to sack judges it recommended for dismissal over their involvement in acts of corruption.
The NJC said it was disappointed that the Presidency turned around to accuse it of shielding corrupt judges, when those that were found culpable and recommended for dismissal since the present administration came on board, have not been removed till date.
According to NJC, “But for suspension of the affected judicial officers from office by National Judicial Council, they would have to date been still performing their judicial duties.
“And these are officers that have been found culpable of gross misconduct by NJC after due process and diligent fact-finding investigation by council based on the rule of law enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, NJC Discipline Regulations and Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.
This revelation from the highest judicial council in the country which is statutorily empowered to exercise disciplinary control over judicial officers for misconduct is, to say the least, mind-boggling and too weighty to ignore.
The Tide is particularly disturbed by this horrendous development in view of the anti-corruption posture of the President Muhammadu Buhari government.
We recall that the Federal Government had severally chastised the judiciary for incompetence, laxity, corrupt practices and other sundry infractions. It, therefore, smacks of hypocrisy and double standard that the same government which glories on anti-graft war is culpable of aiding and abetting corrupt judges.
For the umpteenth time, we want to remind government that the judiciary, and by extension, NJC, is an independent arm of government that derives its powers and authority from the Constitution. Its decisions, therefore, are not only sacrosanct but also have far-reaching effects on democracy and human lives. The judiciary, therefore, is too important to toy with.
We believe that for the anti-corruption war to succeed in Nigeria, governments at all levels must respect the independence of the judiciary, rise above board and purge themselves of partisanship and any other primordial consideration.
For us in The Tide, shielding corrupt public officials that have been found culpable and recommended for dismissal by the NJC is a serious indictment on Buhari’s government. It does not only call to question the integrity of the administration and the change mantra the APC-led government promised the nation, it is also a complete volte face of Buhari’s anti-corruption posturing.
The NJC’s allegation against the Federal Government, if it is anything to go by, is as good as kissing the Buhari anti-graft war goodbye.
We believe that if the affected judges feel short-changed or dissatisfied with the recommendations of the NJC, they have the constitutional rights to seek redress in court, and not to seek protection from the executive.
It is against this backdrop that we call on the Federal Government and the affected State governments to, without further delay, act on the NJC’s recommendations on the culpable judges.
By this, the judiciary will be free to assert its independence without hindrance and serve the nation better. Only this way too can the government prove to the citizenry that it has nothing up its sleeves and that it is truly committed to the rule of law and its anti-graft war.