A two-term Lagos lawamker, Victor Akande, on Wednesday called for urgent dialogue among stakeholders to end the ongoing strike by the judicial workers to forestall breakdown of law and order.
The judicial workers under the auspices of Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) embarked on strike on April 6 over the failure of State Government to implement the financial autonomy of the Judiciary.
Akande, the Chairman, Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Public Petitions and LASIEC, said that the leadership of JUSUN and state governors needed to embrace the alternative dispute resolution.
Akande, representing Ojo Constituency I in Lagos Assembly, urged the striking workers to cease fire to prevent escalation of vices and crimes, and for the sake of protection of the fundamental human rights of the citizens.
“It is incumbent on all the stakeholders involved in this struggle to sit down at the roundtable and discuss, before the strike leads to the breakdown of law and order.
“I will equally appeal the striking judicial workers to look inward and let us explore the alternative to dispute resolution as judiciary normally says and encourages.
“This is what judiciary also advocates. We should explore this so that we can move forward. Rome is also not built in a day.
“I plead with the judicial workers to practice what they preach. Let us explore alternative to dispute resolution and let there be peace,” Akande, a legal practitioner, said.
He, however, said that the constitution was clear about freedom of association and the financial autonomy of the judiciary.
Akande said that he would not blame judiciary for embarking on strike to articulate its grievances about the non-implementation of autonomy for judiciary as stated in the constitution.
“Judicial workers want autonomy to make their work easy and for seamless administration of Justice. We always complain about the delay in the dispensation of Justice.
“Why can’t we just support them so that development will be wholistic among the three organs of government? Judiciary must be allowed to perform.
“In a situation where one arm of government as important as judiciary down tools, definitely, there will be problem. We have a lot cases grounded now because courts are shut down,” Akande added.
According to him, it is incumbent on the state governors to look inward and see how to pay along to prevent problems.
