Tinubu Tells Judges: Let Justice Be Swift, Fair, and Blind to Status or Purse

President Bola Tinubu on Monday told Nigeria's appellate judges that a compromised judicial system is a direct threat to democracy — and that the common man must feel the court is truly his last hope.

Tinubu gave the charge while commissioning the new Court of Appeal, Abuja Division building complex at Dakibiyu. He was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

The complex replaces what Tinubu described as a cramped, temporary space that the Abuja Division had occupied for too long. He said the completion was a fulfilment of his Renewed Hope Agenda's commitment to restoring dignity to Nigeria's justice institutions.

"To My Lords Justices, as you move into this complex, Nigeria asks one thing of you: let justice be swift. Let it be fair. Let it be blind to status, tribe, or purse. Let the common man feel that this Court is truly his last hope."

The new facility houses two large courtrooms and eight smaller ones — a major jump from the two courtrooms the division previously had. Tinubu said the infrastructure would directly speed up case resolution, reduce congestion in correctional centres, and strengthen public confidence in the rule of law.

He recalled that when he visited and saw the old conditions, his instruction was immediate: fix it. "Today, we have fixed it," he said.

Tinubu tied the project to a broader philosophy. "The Renewed Hope Agenda isn't a slogan. It's action," he said. "We said we'd restore the dignity of our institutions. We're doing it for the Judiciary. We're doing it in health, education, roads, and power. Brick by brick, we're rebuilding Nigeria."

The President acknowledged the pressure under which Abuja Division judges work — handling election petitions and constitutional matters of national consequence. He said the new environment wasn't a favour but an entitlement.

Tinubu reserved special praise for FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, who took the assignment in May 2024 and delivered the project in record time. "No excuses. No variation. Just results," Tinubu said. He listed other judicial infrastructure Wike had driven on presidential directive: courts for the National Industrial Court, Federal High Court, and Code of Conduct Tribunal, plus befitting residences for judicial officers and digitised judicial processes.

Earlier, the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, spoke on the impact of the new complex on justice administration. The source cut off before her full remarks, but the commissioning marks a concrete step in the administration's judicial reform push.