By Muhyideen Jimoh

President Bola Tinubu on Monday cautioned the Bench not to become a sanctuary for compromise.

Tinubu made the call at the opening of the 2025 All Nigerian Judges’ Conference of the Superior Courts in Abuja.

‎The president warned that corruption within the Judiciary was a direct assault on democracy.

‎“Justice must never be for sale, and the Bench must never become a sanctuary for compromise,”

‎“Corruption in any arm of government weakens the nation, but corruption in the Judiciary destroys it at its core. Only a Judiciary that cleanses itself can command the moral authority to cleanse society.”

The president said that judicial officers remained the true custodians of justice and assured continued investment in welfare, training, and the National Judicial Institute.

He urged the Bench to also pursue bold reforms to restore public confidence and deepen the rule of law.

He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening judicial capacity through improved welfare, modern infrastructure, and enhanced working conditions across the courts.

Tinubu stressed the need to adopt actionable reforms that strengthen discipline, reduce congestion in courts, and expand access to justice for ordinary citizens.

‎”Whenever Nigeria has faced moments of uncertainty, history has recorded that the Judiciary stood firm as the stabilising force of our national life.

‎”It is through the courage of judges and their judicial pronouncements that tyranny has been restrained, constitutional order preserved, and the voice of justice amplified above the noise of division or despair,”

‎The President said the growing backlog of court cases nationwide was unacceptable, insisting that a just society could not thrive on slow or compromised justice delivery.

‎“The backlog of cases in our courts must be addressed with urgency.

‎“Our courts must no longer be places where cases languish for years. Justice exists for the people, and their faith in the judicial process is the foundation of our national stability.”

‎Tinubu noted that the courts’ moral authority depended on public perception of fairness and integrity.

‎He said justice existed for the people, adding that citizens’ faith in the judicial process remained central to national stability.

‎Tinubu acknowledged public frustration over delayed judgments, questionable conduct, and difficulty accessing justice, saying these concerns required honest reflection and decisive action.

‎“These perceptions, whether wholly justified or not, cannot be ignored.

‎“They call upon us to reflect, to reform, and to restore.”

‎Tinubu described technology as central to future reforms, stressing the need for digitisation, integrated case management, and transparent processes.

‎“A digital, transparent judiciary will deepen accountability and public trust. We should not leave any of our courts behind in this transformation.”

‎He emphasised that judicial officers remained the true custodians of justice and pledged continued support for their welfare and training through the National Judicial Institute.

‎‎The president said judicial discipline must be firm, transparent, and consistent, and that safeguarding integrity was a collective obligation of all judicial officers.

‎He expressed optimism that resolutions from the conference, which has as it’s theme: theme of this year’s Conference, “Building a Confident Judiciary,” would reinforce the Judiciary as the guardian of the nation’s democratic ideals. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Sadiya Hamza