The Chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association, Benin Branch, Mr. Idemudia Iredia Osifo, led the Lion Bar to the Edo State House of Assembly this week. Their mission was simple: stop the proposed repeal of financial autonomy for the judiciary.
Read that again. Lawyers had to march to protect the court from the lawmakers.
The Benin Bar’s protest joins civil society and concerned citizens asking the same question: why is the Assembly trying to put the judiciary back on feeding bottles? Financial autonomy is not a privilege. It is a constitutional safeguard. Without it, judges beg the executive for salaries, for buildings, for stationery. And a judge who begs cannot judge freely.
Gov. Okpebholo, what is happening to the legislative and judicial arms?
Democracy needs three independent pillars. When the legislature and executive team up to weaken the third, it is not reform. It is capture.
An independent judiciary is the last hope of the common man. The trader in Iguobazuwa. The student in Ugbowo. The widow in Ekpoma. When courts are broke, justice is delayed. When courts are controlled, justice is sold.
We have seen this movie before. Governors who fear scrutiny. Assemblies that pass laws to protect their paymasters.
The Lion Bar has roared. Edo people are watching. Lawmakers should not use repeal to settle political scores. Uphold democratic principles. Protect judicial independence.
A court that depends on the Assembly for cash will always depend on the Assembly for judgment. And that, Governor, is how democracy dies.
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