Renewed hope agenda building befitting home for rule of law – Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu says his Renewed Hope Agenda is building a befitting home for the rule of law in the country.

Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, made the remarks in Abuja on Monday, while inaugurating the newly constructed Court of Appeal, Abuja Division building complex, at Daki Biyu.

The presidentbsaid that the complex was not just a building, but a statement.

“A statement that under the Renewed Hope Agenda, the rule of law will have a befitting home. For too long, the Abuja Division of this Court operated from a cramped, temporary space. That was unacceptable.

“A nation that seeks justice must respect the temple of justice. When I visited and saw the condition, I gave a simple instruction; fix it. Today, we have fixed it,” he said.

He commended the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr Nyesom Wike, for delivering his assignment with due diligence.

“You are truly ‘Mr Project’. When I appointed you as the Minister of the FCT, I knew you would not sleep. You took the assignment to deliver this project in May 2024.

“By July, contractors were on site. You promised 16 months. You delivered in record time. No excuses. No variation. Just results. Nigerians can see the difference. Well-done,” he said.

He described the complex with two large and eight smaller courtrooms as “world-class”, stressing that legal cases would now receive speedy attention.

He added that the development would ensure justice for all, uphold the rule of law, maintain law and order in the FCT and reduce congestion in correctional centres.

“This is how you honour the Judiciary. This is how you strengthen democracy.

“We said we will restore the dignity of our institutions. We are doing it for the Judiciary, doing it in health, education, roads, and power. Brick by brick, we are rebuilding Nigeria.

“I am therefore pleased by the concrete efforts made by the Minister of the FCT to domesticate this policy thrust by building more courts, constructing befitting residences for judicial officers, digitising judicial processes in the territory, and providing solid support for legal education,” Tinubu said.

He added that the Abuja Division carried a heavy docket – “from election petitions to constitutional matters, the eyes of Nigeria are on you.

“You deserve an environment that matches the weight of your responsibility. This complex is not a favour. It is your right and we will do more”.

Earlier, Wike said that the beneficiaries of the infrastructure being provided to the judiciary were citizens and those who provided legal services in Abuja.

He said that the edifice was part of Tinubu’s commitment to strengthening the independence of the judiciary.

“You can’t talk about the independence of the judiciary when the judiciary does not have a fitting environment where they can carry out their functions.

“How do you talk about independence when somebody cannot comfortably carry out his or her duties, when somebody does not have a fitting room to stay and do their work,” the minister said.

Similarly, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, said that unveiling of the building was a powerful statement of the present administration’s unwavering commitment to the rule of law.

Fagbemi said that Tinubu’s support to promoting judicial independence and the strengthening of institutions that safeguard constitutional democracy was unprecedented.

“This support has been comprehensive, deliberate, and transformational, covering judicial welfare, infrastructure, institutional capacity, and judicial manpower,” he said.

On her part, President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem commended Tinubu and Wike for the intervention.

Dongban-Mensem said that currently, the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal operated with only two courtrooms, along with very limited administrative office space.

“This lack of infrastructure has continuously slowed down the timely administration of justice, especially given the heavy case load handled by the Division.

“Even when special sittings are arranged and multiple panels of justices sit at the same time to reduce backlog, the court is often forced to use courtrooms outside its own premises, and we have to go pleading with our sister courts,” she said.

Mr Olalekan Adebiyi, Managing Director, Visible Construction Ltd., the contractor, commended Tinubu and Wike for giving local contractors the opportunity to prove themselves.

“We are pleased to be part of this historic project, which is aimed at providing a conducive working environment for judicial officers in line with Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” Adebiyi said.