President Bola Tinubu formally inaugurated the two-day National Summit on Justice 2024 on Wednesday. The event was organized by the Federal Ministry of Justice in partnership with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the National Judicial Council (NJC). Vice President Kashim Shettima represented the President.
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN, highlighted the summit’s aim to tackle critical challenges facing the justice sector. He emphasized the need for reforms to enhance accessibility to justice for all Nigerians.
Specific goals include:
* Reviewing and adopting the revised National Policy on Justice 2024-2028 to drive prison reforms and improve access to justice.
* Revising electoral laws and procedures for election-related cases.
* Deliberating on draft legislations to address challenges in judicial appointments, administration, funding, and efficiency.
* Reducing adjudication time, technicalities, and the number of cases reaching the Supreme Court.
The summit’s theme is “Repositioning the Justice System: Constitutional, Statutory, and Operational Reforms for Access and Efficiency.” Speakers include NBA Chairman Yakubu Maikyau SAN and Chief Justice of Nigeria Olukayode Ariwoola.
Justice Ariwoola expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for supporting justice sector reforms and praised the AGF for organizing the summit. He expressed optimism about the summit’s potential to yield recommendations for sustainable judiciary reforms.
Dr. Willy Mutunga, former Chief Justice of Kenya, delivered the keynote address virtually. Senate President Godswill Akpabio commended the commitment of stakeholders to improve the justice system. He assured that the National Assembly would consider the summit’s outcomes.
Akpabio emphasized the importance of support from all stakeholders and state governments for a seamless justice delivery system. He proposed postponing interlocutory appeals until after substantive matters are adjudicated to expedite justice. Additionally, he called for the removal of the AGF’s approval requirement for enforcing judgment debts, arguing that the Supreme Court should have final authority on legal matters. CONTINUE READING
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