*CJN says no interference from executive, legislature
The Senate is to investigate the reported invasion of the Abuja residence of Supreme Court Judge, Justice Mary Odili, by armed security operatives.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, made this known on Monday during an oversight visit of his Committee to the office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria in Abuja.
According to him, the upper chamber will discuss the incident under matter of urgent National importance as soon as it reconvenes next week.
His words: “We cannot pretend not to be unaware of the embarrassing situation of invasion of residence of Justice Mary Odili on Friday night by security agencies. Without joining issue with anyone, we take the matter seriously, by the time, we are back to plenary session, we will discuss the matter as that of urgent national importance.”
Speaking on the proposed budget for the judiciary in 2022, Senator Bamidele said the estimate was only increased by N10 billion from what was approved for 2021.
He said: “It is trite to state that 2022 budget budget estimate for the Judiciary is N120 billion only representing an increase in the sum of N10 billion, over the sum which was appropriated in the 2021 Appropriation Act.
“Even though this increase is not enough to meet the competing needs and challenges of the Judiciary, we must commend the present administration for listening to the voice of reason and clamour from various quarters advocating for increased funding for the Judiciary.”
Responding to the Committee Chairman’s remarks, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammed disclosed that there has not been any interference whatsoever from both legislative and executive arms of government in the activities of the judiciary.
He further stressed that the National Assembly had not failed the judiciary especially in the area of legislative intervention.
His words: “Legislative arm of government has not failed us, there is nothing that we want that have not been granted by the lawmakers, you are doing right thing , if you see that something is going wrong with Judiciary, call our attention to it”.
Also speaking, the Acting Chief Registrar of Supreme Court, Hajo Sarki Bello, informed the Senators that 75 per cent budget performance had been recorded in 2021 in term of releases and 60 per cent in expenditure.
She said N368 million was appropriated to cater for the official vehicles of the Chief Justice of Nigeria and other Justices of the Court this fiscal year.
