Rivers State Governor, His Excellency Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has challenged Nigerian judges to look beyond legal technicalities and consider how their rulings shape democracy, governance, and national development.
Governor Fubara gave the charge on Sunday while declaring open the 66th Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
—“JUSTICE MUST REFLECT TODAY’S REALITY”—
The Governor said the quality of justice delivered by the courts is directly tied to law, order, and the pace of national development.
“We cannot continue to insulate our laws from today’s reality,” Fubara said.
“Neither should justice remain shackled by unjust precedents, technicalities, inadequate access, undue delays, slavish adherence to rigid processes, political manipulation, or brazen corruption.
The prevalence of these serious impediments has damaged, and continues to damage, the reputation of the Judiciary and the Bar.”
He noted that in a democracy, the legal system defines the relationship between government, institutions, and citizens. Beyond upholding the rule of law, the judiciary is critical to fostering good governance and economic growth.
“The courts are not merely venues for resolving social disputes,” he stated.
“They serve as the ultimate refuge for all, including the common man, to pursue true justice, accountability, human dignity, and the enforcement of their constitutional rights.”
—JUDGES MUST BE GUARDIANS, NOT APOLOGISTS—
According to the Governor, the ultimate aim of law is to protect citizens by ensuring equality before the law, safeguarding fundamental rights, and creating an environment for socio-economic progress.
“Where the law is treated as sovereign, law, order, peace and meaningful progress prevail,” he said.
“Denying the sanctity of the rule of law negates the very logic of civilised existence and is a recipe for social disaster.
Consequently, we expect that our judges should not be mere apologists or conformists if they are to be the ultimate guardians of our democracy.”
Fubara added that public confidence in the judiciary will only grow when judges demonstrate sound knowledge, excellent legal reasoning, courage, commitment, and integrity to hold both government and citizens accountable to the Constitution.
“In times of uncertainty, when political power attempts to overreach the Constitution, it is the courage of the legal profession that must intervene to nip such aberrations in the bud,” he said.
—“BEYOND LIMITS” – A CALL TO LAWYERS*—
Speaking on the conference theme “Beyond Limits”, the Governor urged lawyers as “ministers and custodians of the sacred temple of justice” to rise above constraints and defend the Constitution and the people’s right to democracy.
“In Rivers State, we understand what it means to push beyond limits. We have walked through the furnace of power, may have been bruised, yet remain unbowed in our determination to safeguard our unity, peace and progress,” he declared.
—WEAH: DEMOCRACY IS TESTED DAILY—
Delivering the keynote address, former President of Liberia, Mr. George Weah, stressed the vital role of an independent judiciary and a fearless Bar in safeguarding democracy.
He warned that threats to democracy do not only come “from the barrel of a gun or a defeated leader who refuses to hand over power,” but also from weakened judicial institutions.
“Democracy doesn’t end on election night. It is tested every single day,” Weah said.
“Democracy cannot survive on strong men, but on strong institutions.”
He described as dangerous any government that claims to be democratic but colludes with compromised judges to undermine the rule of law and manipulate society.
The conference drew hundreds of lawyers, jurists, and stakeholders from across Nigeria and beyond.
