NEWS
Tinubu’s Charge To New CJN – Full Speech
On swearing in the ne Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu charged her thus, ‘Be faithful and loyal to the constitution’.
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Full Speech
1. I warmly welcome you all to this momentous ceremony to witness a sacred and significant event in the life of our nation: the swearing-in of a distinguished jurist, the Hon. Justice Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun, CFR, as acting Chief Justice of Nigeria.
2. She comes in following the retirement of another illustrious jurist, Justice Kayode Ariwoola, who bowed out gracefully after long years of service to our country. Our country owes Honourable Justice Ariwoola a debt of gratitude for his outstanding contributions to the administration of justice.
3. Nigeria’s acting Chief Justice, Kudirat Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun, comes to this position with an admirable family and professional pedigree. Over the years, she established a respectable and incorruptible reputation within the bar and the bench, which has served the course of justice.
4. Her meteoric rise from the Magistracy to Justice of the Supreme Court is a testament to her exceptional talent, hard work, unblemished record, strong work ethic, and dedication to her calling as a priest in the temple of justice. Her sterling contributions to the growth of the Nigerian judiciary and our legal system have been remarkable. We are inspired by her unwavering commitment to higher ideals of upholding the principles of justice and fairness.
5. Justice Kekere-Ekun is a brilliant lawyer who was called to the bar in 1981. She is now a trailblazer, becoming the second woman to hold this esteemed position after Hon. Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, GCON, who served as the CJN from 16 July 2012 to 20 November 2014. Justice Kekere-Ekun’s ascension to this position is a beacon of hope for young women who aspire to break the glass ceiling and make a meaningful impact on our society.
6. The Nigerian Supreme Court has come a long way since it was empowered by the 1963 Republican Constitution to take over from the then Judicial Committee of the Privy Council as the highest court in our judicial hierarchy.
7. Since then, it has played a critical role in the evolution of our country, resolving complex legal conflicts, even under the military and shaping public policies that impact all segments of Nigerian society.
8. Late Justice Thurgood Marshall, the American civil rights lawyer and first African American justice of the US Supreme Court, once said: “The Constitution is not a static document, but rather a living instrument that must be adapted to the changing needs of society.”
9. Following this entrenched tradition of the apex court, our Supreme Court, under our constitutional democracy, also recently interpreted the 1999 Constitution regarding the financial autonomy of the 774 local councils. To quote Marshall again: “It is, emphatically, the province and duty of the judicial department to say what the law is.”
10. We expect the apex court to continue to play a critical role in the evolution of our constitutional democracy and shape public policies that impact all segments of Nigerian society.
11. I want to assure you that my administration will continue to provide appropriate support to improve the welfare and capacity of the judiciary, ease the administration of justice, and promote the rule of law in Nigeria. This consideration informed the expedited passage by the National Assembly and my consent to the Judicial Office Holders Act, 2024, which approved a 300% increase in the remuneration of judicial officers. This came on the heels of the appointment of 11 Justices of the Supreme Court in December 2023, which enabled the Supreme Court to attain its full complement of 21 Justices for the first time in decades.
12. Let me also reassure you that the judiciary under this administration will continue to receive prompt and adequate attention in recognising its status as a driver of social order, rule of law, peace, security, and economic development.
13. Undoubtedly, the position of the Chief Justice of Nigeria comes with enormous responsibilities. As the head of all judicial institutions in the country, it is a position of considerable influence that demands temperance and sobriety. The occupant of the office must exude the highest level of integrity in the discharge of duties. This is more so because of the finality of the Supreme Court’s judgment.
14. I therefore urge your lordship to be faithful and loyal to the Constitution when discharging your duties as acting Chief Justice of Nigeria. I also encourage you to defend the judiciary’s independence, always promote the course of justice, strengthen mechanisms for integrity, discipline, and transparency in the judicial sector, and pursue other reforms or initiatives to sustain public confidence in the judiciary.
15. Thank you for joining us today as we mark this historic occasion. May this moment inspire us all to strive for excellence in pursuing a prosperous nation where justice will always reign.
NEWS
N1.7trn Loan: Atiku Blames NASS For Worsening Nigeria’s Debt Burden
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has criticized the federal government’s plan to secure an additional N1.7 trillion loan through Eurobonds to cover a shortfall in the 2024 budget, describing the borrowing as unsustainable and harmful to Nigeria’s economy.
In a statement shared on Thursday via his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Atiku accused the Bola Tinubu-led administration of burdening Nigerians with debt while failing to provide clear answers about the country’s fiscal challenges.
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He also faulted the National Assembly for enabling what he called a “voracious appetite” for loans.
The former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate expressed alarm over a recent World Bank report ranking Nigeria as the third most indebted country to the International Development Association (IDA), calling the development troubling.
“The recent report released by the World Bank, showing Nigeria as the third most indebted country to the International Development Association (IDA), is very concerning,” Atiku stated.
He raised further concerns about the government’s decision to benchmark the proposed loan at an exchange rate of 1 USD to N800, despite the Central Bank of Nigeria’s official rate being over N1,600.
“What makes this particular loan proposal even more concerning is that it is benchmarked at the exchange rate of 1 USD to N800, whereas the current exchange rate from the Central Bank of Nigeria stands at over N1,600 to 1 USD,” he said.
Atiku questioned the need for additional borrowing, given the government’s earlier claims of record-high revenue collection.
“In July this year, Tinubu boasted that the FIRS and Customs under his watch had collected all-time high revenues to finance the budget. Why are they still borrowing?” he said
He accused the government of a lack of transparency, describing the borrowing spree as detrimental to Nigerians already struggling under economic hardship.
“There is something that they are not telling Nigerians, even as they are being crushed by a combination of their failed trial-and-error policies and loan rackets.”
Atiku also referenced a report by BudgIT, a budget monitoring group, which criticized the 2024 budget for its inefficiencies.
He alleged that corruption, rather than infrastructure or development needs, was driving the government’s borrowing decisions.
“These loans are powered by corruption and not for infrastructure and development needs. This voracious appetite for humongous loans is deeply concerning,” he said.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s financial history, Atiku lamented the return to significant foreign indebtedness just years after former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration cleared the country’s debt.
“It is agonizing to see that just a few years after the Obasanjo administration took us out of foreign indebtedness, we are today back at the top spot in the same conundrum,” he stated.
He called for a more cautious approach to borrowing, urging the government to prioritize fiscal responsibility and transparency to avoid worsening Nigeria’s economic challenges.
International News
ICC Issues Arrest Warrants For Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Others
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has taken a historic step, issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
The charges include crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed during Israel’s recent assault on Gaza.
In a detailed statement, the ICC accused the Israeli leaders of “intentionally and knowingly depriving the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity.”
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The ICC’s move marks a significant escalation in international scrutiny of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Netanyahu and Gallant are alleged to have orchestrated policies that caused severe harm to the civilian population in Gaza, leading to widespread condemnation from human rights organizations.
Alongside the charges against Israeli officials, the ICC also issued an arrest warrant for Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif. Deif has long been a central figure in Hamas’s military operations. Israel’s military claims to have killed him in a July airstrike, although this has not been independently verified.
The warrants highlight growing calls for accountability amid the ongoing conflict in the region. The ICC’s actions are likely to provoke heated debate and may complicate diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the crisis.
With the warrants issued, global attention now turns to how the international community will respond and whether any practical steps will be taken to enforce them.
NEWS
Edo State Governor Sets Up Committee To Recover Missing Gov’t Vehicles
Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has inaugurated a 12-member committee tasked with recovering government vehicles reportedly in private hands.
The committee, led by Kelly Okungbowa, has been given a two-week mandate to retrieve the vehicles and ensure their return to the state government.
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Speaking during the inauguration ceremony in Benin City, Governor Okpebholo emphasized the importance of accountability in the management of public resources.
He urged the committee to carry out its assignment thoroughly and within the bounds of the law.
In his response, Okungbowa expressed gratitude to the governor for entrusting the team with the assignment, vowing to deliver results within the stipulated timeframe.
“A lot of vehicles used by the past administration are missing, as those in custody of the vehicles have refused to return them,” Okungbowa said.
“The governor deemed it fit to inaugurate us today with a mandate to recover all government vehicles in private hands.”
The committee, which includes representatives from Edo’s three senatorial districts, is set to investigate and recover the vehicles based on credible intelligence already at their disposal.
“We already have vital information regarding some persons still holding government vehicles,” Okungbowa stated. “We will do the job according to the law, and both the government and the people will be satisfied with the outcome.”
He also called on members of the public to assist the committee by providing information about any government vehicles that may still be in private possession.
“We want to appeal to members of the public who might be aware of anyone still keeping government vehicles in their houses to please inform us to enable the committee to recover such for the Edo State Government,” Okungbowa said.
The committee’s vice chairman, Rt. Hon. Victor Edoror, a former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, will work alongside other members to ensure the success of the initiative. The public can reach the committee at 08110165121.