Tinubu Pledges to Review Salaries of Judicial Officers and Fill Supreme Court Vacancies
President Bola Tinubu has assured the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) that his administration will review the remuneration of judicial officers and fill the existing vacancies in the Supreme Court.
The President made this promise on Friday when he received the NBA leadership, led by Barrister Yakubu Maikyau (SAN), who invited him to declare open the association’s 63rd Annual General Conference in Abuja.
President Tinubu said that the fight against corruption in the judiciary requires a comprehensive review of the salaries and allowances of judicial officers, an issue that he is familiar with, having reformed the justice system in Lagos State when he was the governor.
“We must deal with the review of remuneration if we truly want to fight corruption in the Judiciary. We will look at the cost as well as the consequences,” he said.
The President also noted that the current vacancies in the Supreme Court are obligations that must be fulfilled based on the recommendations of the National Judicial Council (NJC).
“Majority of them are on holiday now and when they return, we will take a look at what they have and we will fill the vacancies. It’s a fulfillment of an obligation,” he said.
The President thanked the NBA for inviting him to their conference and acknowledged that he has many lawyers as close aides, including the Chief of Staff, Rt. Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, the State Chief of Protocol, Amb. Victor Adeleke, and his Principal Private Secretary, Prince Damilotun Aderemi.
The NBA President, in his remarks, commended the President for appointing distinguished members of the bar into his cabinet, including Lateef Fagbemi, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.