The President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Afam Osigwe, has criticised state governors who publicly donate cars, houses, and other items to judges.

He described the gesture as demeaning and damaging to judicial independence.

Speaking in an interview with Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Osigwe expressed concern that the practice undermines the image of the judiciary.

This is as he added that it also fuels perceptions of undue influence by the executive.

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The host highlighted concerns about judicial independence at the state level, noting that governors’ funding of courts and provision of facilities often fuel suspicions of compromised autonomy.

“It is concerning to us that the governors would do things for the judiciary as if they were doing them a favour,

“Oftentimes, it’s annoying seeing some governors talk about how, ‘Oh, I give cars to my judges,’ or even invite the judges and do a public presentation of vehicles or some other material to members of the judiciary,” Osigwe said.

Govs don’t bankroll judges
According to the NBA President, such acts diminish the stature of the judiciary and give the impression that judges are beholden to governors who bankroll their needs.

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“We believe it’s demeaning and ought not to be.

“The judiciary should be an independent part of government and should not be demeaned or reduced to a point where members of the judiciary should be given handouts as if a favour was being done to them,” Osigwe stressed.

He warned that no judiciary could claim true independence if it relied on the executive for basic operational needs.

“There’s no way you can convince any person that the judiciary that finds itself in such a situation is independent. Never!

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“Even if it is independent, the perception will always be that they are at the beck and call of the executive, and that the executive will always bend them to their will; otherwise, those handouts will cease,” he declared.

The NBA boss insisted that all judicial needs — from vehicles to courtrooms and infrastructure — must be captured in budgets and executed by the judiciary itself.

He dismissed excuses that the judiciary lacks capacity to manage funds, noting that professionals are employed within the system to handle such responsibilities.

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“The executive should not emasculate the judiciary, reduce them to a weeping boy, or a beggar.

“It demeans the judiciary, robs it of its independence, and makes it difficult for the people to trust that such a judiciary can be independent,” Osigwe cautioned.

While noting that the federal judiciary enjoys greater financial autonomy, Osigwe urged state governments to urgently adopt similar practices to safeguard the credibility of their courts.

“Justice is rooted in confidence, and the day that confidence is eroded, or seems to be gone, the people’s confidence in the judiciary’s ability will forever be eroded,” he warned.

The Ibadan North Federal Constituency by-election on Saturday began on a shaky note as only a few voters turned out at polling centres.

The by-election followed the death of Olajide Akinremi of the All Progressives Congress on July 10.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission arrived as early as 7:30 a.m. at various polling centres, but voter presence was scanty.

At Bodija Ward 10 Unit 26 (8:22 a.m.) and Ward 5 Unit 19 (8:27 a.m.), INEC officials were already on the ground, setting up for the exercise.

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“We are 100 per cent ready at Methodist Grammar School, Bodija, Ward 5, Unit 26. As you can see, we are setting up and waiting for voters. Their list will be pasted soon,” Omolara Gbamigbade, an INEC official, said.

Similarly, Bolaji Abiona, a PDP agent at Ward 10 Unit 26, noted: “Everything is set. INEC is here, the police are here. We are waiting for people so accreditation and voting can commence.”

The first voter at Ward 10 Unit 27, Police Station, Bodija Housing Corporation, Miss Oluwaseun Omisakin, arrived at 9:07 a.m. and cast her vote within five minutes.

According to her, the process was smooth. “I got to where the voters’ list was pasted and saw my name. I wasn’t even expecting it. The comportment of the INEC officials was excellent, especially how the BVAS official handled the minor glitch that occurred. It showed they were prepared,” she said.

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NAN, however, reports that apart from Omisakin and one other voter, no one else had turned up at the polling unit by the time of filing the report.

At Sango, Oju Irin, opposite Gateway Baptist Church, Ward 8 Unit 031, PDP party agent, Ajayi Lucas, lamented the late arrival of officials.

“We have been calling the collation officer to alert him that INEC officials were not on ground, only for them to arrive at 9:50 a.m. This is not acceptable, it ought not to be so,” Lucas said.

INEC officials were also yet to be seen at Ward 8 Unit 1, Sango Ibadan, at the time of reporting.

An agent of the Peoples Democratic Party was attacked on Saturday at Ozolua Model Primary School, Iguobazuwa East Ward, headquarters of Ovia South-West Local Government Area, Edo State, for allegedly refusing to release Permanent Voter Cards to eligible voters.

The agent, whose name was withheld, was accused of hoarding the cards.

A voter, who identified himself as Robert, said, “The PDP agent has our voter cards and we need them to vote, but he refused to release them. People got angry and descended on him.

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“The fact is that he mobilised us for the registration, so when the cards came, many people handed them over to him, believing they would collect them during the election. However, he refused to release them because most of the people wanted to vote for the APC candidate, Omosede Igbinedion.”

The swift intervention of the police saved the agent from being lynched.