By Amofokhai Williams
President Bola Tinubu on Monday delivered one of his strongest addresses yet on judicial integrity, warning that “justice must never be for sale” and insisting that the survival of Nigeria’s democracy depends on a fearless, efficient and incorruptible judiciary.
Speaking at the opening of the 2025 All Nigerian Judges’ Conference of the Superior Courts in Abuja, the President said the Judiciary has historically been Nigeria’s stabilising force in moments of national uncertainty.
He reminded judges that “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.”
Tinubu said the theme of this year’s conference, “Building a Confident Judiciary,” struck at the heart of democratic legitimacy.
According to him, “confidence is the lifeblood of justice… unless the public perceives [a judgment] to be fair, impartial, and untainted, its moral authority is diminished.”
In a rare admission, the President confronted the growing public frustration with the judicial system, stating plainly that “public perception of the judicial process has not always been favourable,” citing concerns about delays, integrity and access to justice.
“These perceptions cannot be ignored,” he warned.
“They call upon us to reflect, to reform, and to restore,” because justice ultimately exists for the people, not for the Bench or the Bar,” he added.
The President pledged firm support for judicial strengthening, insisting that cooperation among the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary is essential.
“A Judiciary strong in capacity, efficient in process, and uncompromising in integrity is indispensable to the survival of our democracy,” he said.
He pledged “institutional and material support” to improve working conditions, modernise infrastructure and ensure swift adjudication so courts no longer become places “where cases languish for years.”
Technology, he argued, must now be treated as essential, saying “A digital, transparent judiciary will not only improve efficiency but deepen accountability and public trust.”
But Tinubu stressed that reforms would be meaningless without integrity. In his sharpest line of the day, he declared: “Justice must never be for sale, and the Bench must never become a sanctuary for compromise.”
“Corruption in any arm of government is damaging,” he said, but “corruption in the Judiciary destroys [the nation] at its core.”
He vowed to back every effort by judicial authorities to discipline erring officers, insisting that “only a Judiciary that cleanses itself can command the moral authority to cleanse society.”
Addressing the judges directly, the President challenged them to be frank and courageous in deliberations.
“Go beyond diagnosing old challenges and commit to actionable solutions,” he urged.
He posed pointed questions: How do we reduce case backlog? How do we strengthen internal discipline? How do we make justice more affordable and accessible to the poor? And “how do we build a Judiciary that truly remains the last hope of the common man?”
Tinubu described judicial officers as “guardians of Nigeria’s moral conscience and architects of her democratic destiny,” insisting that their rulings shape the nation’s moral compass and define the character of the Republic.
