Rich Nigerians Buy Judgement – Senate Leader

Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan, on Thursday raised the alarm over the alarming rate at which some super rich Nigerians buy judgment to the detriment of the less privileged.

He stated this when the upper chamber was considering the appointment of Justice Abubakar Musa Sadeeq, as the president, Customary Court of Appeal, FCT Abuja.

Lawan said, “Ours is a society where people who have so much money buy judgments. I think that is not the type of society that we want.

“We want a society where those at the lowest line; the vulnerable, the disadvantaged can go to courts and get judgment because they deserve to get those judgments regardless of their socioeconomic status.

“Judiciary, you are expected by Nigerians to be firm, to be fair, to be committed to those ideals that the founding fathers of this country worked and died for; that is to make life better for every Nigerian.”

The Senate suspended its rules to confirm the appointment of Sadeeq.

President Muhammadu Buhari had, through a letter read at plenary by Deputy Senate President,  Ike Ekweremadu, requested the senators to approve Sadeeq’s appointment.

The Senate Leader sought the understanding of his colleagues to suspend the Senate rules to hasten the confirmation process.

He said, “This Senate and indeed the National Assembly will be sitting for close to the last time and I believe a request by Mr President is significant that we cannot afford it go through all the processes of confirmation process and procedures.

“I therefore move that we suspend all the process that ordinarily it should have gone through with a view to meeting this national interest by confirming the nominee in the committee of the whole.”

Lawan’s motion was seconded by Senator Chukwuka Utazi and the nominee was ushered into the chamber.

Sadeeq spoke about himself and the presiding officer of the Senate then subjected his confirmation to a voice vote and it received overwhelming approval of the senators.

Buhari in his letter had urged the federal lawmakers to accord the appointment of Sadeeq an expeditious consideration by confirming it.