The ActionAid of Nigeria has launched a Coalition for Judicial Accountability and Reforms (COJAR) to foster a more accountable, transparent and independent judiciary in the country.
Speaking at the launch in Abuja, the Deputy Country Director and Director of Programmes of the ActionAid Nigeria, Suwaiba Muhammad Dankabo said, the establishment of COJAR under the CLEAP Justice project of ActionAid was designed to unite stakeholders and civil society who are collectively working to advance judicial accountability and drive systemic reforms within Nigeria’s justice system.
She said, “Our goal is not only to convene but to converge, merging our voices, expertise, and advocacy to strengthen judicial independence in Nigeria.
“If we don’t get our election right, quality leadership will become an issue”, she added and called for all hands to be on deck in building a resilient and responsive justice system that will truly serve the people.
The ActionAid Country Director called on COJAR to come forward with recommendations on how to collectively mobilize citizens, citizens groups and movements to demand reinforced systems that will guarantee judicial independence and integrity.
In her words, “Judiciary is a sacred institution, a pillar of democracy and the last hope of the common man. Yet, recent events have cast a shadow over its credibility and transparency. If this institution falters, what then becomes of that hope?”
Dankabo then called for collaborative and deliberate efforts to restore faith in the judiciary of the country and ensure its true independence.
She added that, ActionAid, which have been working in Nigeria to combat poverty and injustice for more than two decades is currently implementing the Citizens Led Engagements on Judicial Accountability in Post-Election Justice Delivery in Nigeria (CLEAP Justice), a citizen-centered and citizen-driven intervention aimed at promoting judicial accountability.
Also speaking, the Project Coordinator of the CLEAP Justice governance of the ActionAid, Adesuwa Iluobe said, the project is set out to achieve a more accountable post election justice dispensation in Nigeria through citizens’ action.
She said the capacity of 68,497 citizens has been built directly and indirectly on judicial and electoral system and judicial accountability by the ActionAid Nigeria.
In her own remarks, Judith Gbagidi, the governance specialist ActionAid said, the organisation engage with the public to develop judicial accountability as it believes in evidence based visibility.
According to her, the citizens need to be adequately informed on what they expect from the judiciary through a proper understanding of the provisions of the Constitution.
