Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has urged the newly confirmed Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Aloma – Mariam Muktar to build a stronger, independent, assertive and politically neutral judiciary.
The former Vice President, in a statement by his media office in Abuja congratulating the first-ever woman Chief Justice of Nigeria on her confirmation, said the judiciary is the citadel of the defence of everything democracy stands for.
According to him, the success or failure of the democratic system depends significantly on a vibrant judiciary and its capacity to protect all interests without fear of favour.
He said the enforcement of the rule of law and the challenges of checking the abuse of power or the tendency towards imperial dictatorship underscore the critical role of the judiciary in democracy.
The former Vice President noted that despite the recent controversies surrounding the image of the judiciary, members of the bench rose to the occasion many times in the past to protect our democracy from abuses of power.
He, however, noted that constitutional provisions alone are not enough to make the judiciary independent unless the Judges themselves demonstrate the courage to do their jobs according to their consciences and the law.
In commending her confirmation as the first-ever woman Chief Justice of Nigeria, the former Vice President said Mariam Aloma Muktar has shattered a major glass ceiling that has for several years stood in the way of women.
While wishing her success in her new challenging job, the Turaki Adamawa urged her to make the judiciary truly the last hope of not only the common man but every victim of injustice in the society.
Meanwhile, the former Vice President has also congratulated the Acting Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, on his confirmation by the Police Service Commission as the new IGP.
He urged the new IGP to work hard towards restoring confidence in the Nigerian Police, which has for years battled with perception problems. He also urged Government to modernize the police force by equipping it with anti-riot gears and other necessary tools instead of brandishing rifles when confronting unarmed civilians.
Atiku Abubakar advised the force to be more creative, proactive, vigilant and genuinely people – friendly.
According to him, apart from the current security challenges, one of the biggest tasks before the new IGP is building a credible Police force capable of commanding respect and confidence.
