Justice Is Meant For Rich And Poor – Ondo Gov Akeredolu

By Ayodele Oni

Ondo state Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, has said that it is not in his character to seek favour from any Judge or influence judgement.

The Governor emphasised that it behoves on Judges to do their job diligently as expected of Judicial officers by virtue of the eminent positions they occupy.

A statement by Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Richard Olatunde, stated that the Governor spoke on Tuesday in Akure, at the swearing in of an acting Judge for the state, Justice Williams Akintoroye.

Justice Akintoroye’s appointment followed the retirement of the former Chief Judge, Justice Olutoyin Akeredolu, after attaining the statutory retirement age of 65 years.

Governor Akeredolu explained that the Judiciary should represent hope for all and sundry, stressing that nobody should be allowed to operate in a manner which suggests that the law is subject to his whims and caprices, even remotely.

“Both the rich and the poor, the high and the low, citizens, free from and legal entanglements, which delimit their fundamental rights, as well as those whose freedoms have been curtailed by judicial pronouncements, should feel the existence of a legal system, piloted by the judiciary.

“The beneficiary of an effective judicial system is the society itself. Every pronouncement emanating from the Bench should act as balm on the bruises of the victims of infractions. A judgement should elicit appropriate feelings from litigants.

“The direct victim of abuse should be convinced that the punishment meted to the aggressor is commensurate to the breach. The defendant should feel the full weight of justice to serve as deterrence.

“The society should heave a sigh of relief for the pronouncement. Thus, the judicial system rests on a tripod. There should be justice for the aggrieved and the aggressor. The society, by extension, the people, must be convinced that a judgement takes interest in its preservation.

“A judge occupies the most important public position. He is next to the Almighty while he sits to adjudicate on matters brought before him. He can pronounce that a person be put to death for committing an offence and it will come to pass.

“He can remove kings from palaces and strip chiefs and men of considerable means off their titles. Presidents, Governors, Legislators and other public officials must defer to the enormity of the power wielded by judicial officers whose pronouncements sometimes become law.

“Therefore, this exalted position is too important than to permit flippancy, frivolities, partisanship and barely disguised acts of moral turpitude. Only a fit and proper person should aspire to sit on the Bench. And only such persons should be permitted to wield the power of life and death over other human beings.”

In his response, the Acting CJ, Justice Williams Akintoroye, appreciated the Governor for finding him worthy of the appointment, just as he promised to put God first in all his decisions and form a synergy with other two arms of Government.