BY: PASCHAL NJOKU, ABUJA
Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, chief Justice of Nigeria hss redtated yhe commitment of the apex court to upholding the rule or as and Impatiality in the discharge of their duties.Consequently, Justice Muhammad , who received in audience members of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption [PACAC], led by their Chairman, Professor Itse Sagay, SAN, who paid a courtesy visit to the Supreme Court.
Recrisaid the Supreme Court of Nigeria is ever ready for any eventuality and is also well prepared to keep the country together as one indivisible entity through effective and efficient justice delivery.
Justice Muhammad stated this while addressing members of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption [PACAC], led by their Chairman, Professor Itse Sagay, SAN, who paid a courtesy visit to the Supreme Court.
The CJN revealed that the Supreme Court, being the highest and final court in the land, is always very critical and conscious of every case that comes before it on appeal and as such, the Justices always put in concerted effort by doing a critical review of all facts and evidence before them to arrive at a decision in order to give justice to all parties in a free, fair and generally acceptable manner without any iota of equivocation.
A release by Dr. Akande Festus, Director, Press and Information, Supreme Court of Nigeria, on Thursday, quoted the CJN as saying, “We are all seasoned judicial officers that were appointed to the Supreme Court based on merit, experience and qualification.
“We are bound by the oath we have subscribed to and thus discharge our responsibilities without deference to anybody and we will continue to do so” the CJN said.
“We are never above board as human beings, so we are open to constructive criticisms. It may interest you to know that before we deliver any ruling or judgment, no matter how small it is, even if it is only five sentences, we have to hold conference with all the Justices on the panel and could even expand it in some critical situations to involve all the justices of the court.
“The sole aim of this practice is to ensure that justice is given in every case before us, no matter how infinitesimal it might be because we are the final court in the land”.
In addition, he said, “Our judgments are always all-encompassing and must, at all times, reflect the feelings and views of every Justice on the panel. Dissenting judgments are always encouraged because we cannot all see things from the same perspective.”
Justice Muhammad assured the visitors that the Supreme Court, as usual, would continue to dispense justice in a free and fair manner that every citizen will be happy to say at the end of the day that justice is done, except of course, for those people who will only accept that justice is done when it favours them and not when the right thing is done.
