Party warns against portraying Tinubu and FCT Minister Wike as “patrons of the judiciary.”
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has launched a scathing attack on the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing it of undermining judicial independence by celebrating the commissioning of residential quarters for judges.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Thursday by its spokesman, Bolaji Abdullahi, the opposition party described the APC’s celebration of the project as a “shameless, unethical, and inappropriate spectacle” capable of eroding public confidence in the judiciary.
The ADC slammed the ruling party for portraying the housing project as a personal achievement of President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
While maintaining that judges deserve decent accommodation, adequate security, and improved welfare, the ADC argued that such provisions are constitutional responsibilities funded by taxpayers, not personal favors bestowed by political office holders.
“The issue is not the construction of the quarters in itself, but the dangerous impression of the Executive arm of government presenting itself as the benefactor of another constitutionally independent arm,” the statement read. “Neither President Bola Tinubu nor Minister Nyesom Wike is entitled to personal acclaim for discharging responsibilities financed from public funds.”
The opposition party expressed concern that by publicly praising the President and the FCT minister, the APC is creating a dangerous narrative that judicial welfare depends on the “goodwill and caprice” of political leaders. This, the party warned, blurs the constitutional boundaries of the separation of powers.
The ADC also linked the development to widespread public perceptions of undue executive influence over the courts, adding that the APC’s celebration only validates the suspicion that “he who pays the piper dictates the tune.”
Dismissing claims by the APC that the housing project strengthens the judiciary, the ADC described the argument as an “Orwellian irony.”
“Judicial independence is not achieved by the number of buildings commissioned by politicians. Rather, it is measured by institutional autonomy, financial independence, security of tenure, and freedom from political pressure,” Abdullahi stated.
The party concluded by reminding the ruling class that the judiciary belongs to the Nigerian people, not any political party or minister. It urged the judiciary to remain mindful of the ethical implications of its relationship with the executive, noting that the institution already suffers from a “massive trust deficit” in the eyes of citizens.
