“President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed judiciary integrity is essential to Nigeria’s democratic stability, urging judges to restore public confidence through fairness, efficiency, and ethical leadership at the 2025 All Nigerian Judges Conference in Abuja. He pledged continued federal support for judicial reforms, digital infrastructure, and stronger institutional capacity. Chief Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun commended the President’s commitment and reiterated the judiciary’s duty to uphold incorruptible honour and greater access to justice.”
Abuja | November 18, 2025
President Bola Tinubu has urged Nigerian judges to safeguard judicial honour by upholding uncompromising judiciary integrity, insisting that no reform can endure unless credibility remains the moral centre of the Bench. He made the remarks while declaring open the 2025 All Nigerian Judges Conference at the National Judicial Institute (NJI) in Abuja.
The President said that judiciary integrity is the foundation on which public trust is built and warned that perceptions of bias, delays, or compromised ethics weaken the justice system’s legitimacy. According to him, confidence – not merely legal correctness – ultimately determines how judgments are received by citizens.
Tinubu said the conference theme, “Building a Confident Judiciary,” captures the urgent need to restore faith in the courts at a time when public expectations are high. He pledged continued federal support to strengthen capacity, digital infrastructure, and the independence needed for efficient justice delivery.
“A judgment may be grounded in law and delivered with clarity, but unless the public perceives it to be fair, impartial, and untainted, its moral authority is diminished,” he said. “Citizens have expressed frustration at delays, concerns about integrity, and anxiety over access to justice. These perceptions cannot be ignored.”
The President emphasised that the true strength of the judiciary rests not in buildings or technology, but in judges themselves, who must interpret law with courage and fidelity to constitutional values. He said his administration considers judiciary integrity, welfare, training, and independence essential to sustaining democracy.
Tinubu added that modern courts must process cases efficiently to prevent justice from “languishing for years,” stressing that digital transformation, integrated case-management systems, and transparent procedures are central to improved public trust.
“Whenever Nigeria has faced moments of uncertainty, the Judiciary stood firm as a stabilising force of our national life,” he said, commending decades of judicial interventions during political and constitutional crises achieved through judiciary integrity.
Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun, commended the President’s commitment to strengthening the justice sector. She said the conference offers judges a vital opportunity to reinforce ethics, reflect on institutional challenges, and recommit to dispensing justice with fairness and accessibility.
“We must be a symbol of incorruptible honour. The temple of justice trembles where justice is denied,” she said.
The conference was attended by former and serving Chief Justices of Nigeria, Justices of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, Heads of Courts, and judges from across the federation.
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