ADC Slams APC Over Judges’ Housing Celebration, Cites Threat To Judicial Independence

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ABUJA – The African Democratic Con­gress (ADC) has lashed out at the ruling All Progressives Con­gress (APC) for celebrating the commissioning of residential quarters for judges, describing the action as “shameless, un­ethical and inappropriate” and one that undermines public con­fidence in the independence of the judiciary.

In a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja by its Nation­al Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the opposition party maintained that while judges deserve decent accom­modation, security and improved welfare, such provisions are con­stitutional obligations of govern­ment and not personal favours from political officeholders.

According to the ADC, nei­ther President Bola Tinubu nor the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, should be personally celebrated for a project financed with public funds.

The party argued that by portraying the president and the minister as benefactors of the ju­diciary, the APC had created the dangerous impression that the welfare of judges depends on the goodwill and generosity of the ex­ecutive arm of government.

“In every constitutional de­mocracy governed by the princi­ple of separation of powers, the judiciary must never be placed in a position where its welfare can be publicly portrayed as a favour granted by political actors whose actions and interests may ulti­mately come before the courts,” the statement said.

The ADC further expressed concern that the APC’s celebra­tion could reinforce widespread public perceptions that powerful political figures already wield un­due influence over the judiciary.

The party dismissed claims that the housing project would strengthen judicial indepen­dence, insisting that judicial au­tonomy is not measured by the number of buildings commis­sioned by politicians but by insti­tutional independence, financial autonomy, security of tenure and freedom from political pressure.

The opposition party accused the APC of converting a public project into a partisan public relations exercise and warned that such actions undermine the perception of judicial neutrality, which is vital to every constitu­tional democracy.

The ADC also urged the judi­ciary to be mindful of the ethical implications of its relationship with the executive, noting that the Nigerian judiciary already suffers from a significant trust deficit.

“The public can only begin to trust in the courts again when judges stop putting themselves in positions that make people believe they are beholden to a few individuals and not the law itself,” the party stated.

The ADC maintained that the judiciary belongs to the Ni­gerian people and should never be transformed into an instrument of politi­cal patronage or partisan self-congratulation.