The Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN Justice Tanko Muhammad has lamented that he cannot speak to state governors on behalf of Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) over their ongoing strike.
Mr Ahuraka Isah, the CJN’s Special Assistant on media and publicity strategy said he made the statement when when he met with some national and local officials of JUSUN at his chambers to explore solutions and ways to mitigate the impact of the strike.
Members of the union had locked up gates of courts across the country in enforcement of the indefinite nationwide strike which began on Tuesday, April 6, 2021.
JUSUN national leadership in a circular on April 1, directed the shutdown of courts across the country from April 6.
This is until state governments comply with the Constitution, court judgments and other instruments which confer or reemphasise the financial autonomy of the judiciary.
While urging JUSUN members to call off the strike, the CJN lamented that he cannot speak to the state governments on their demands.
He said, “Ordinarily, I would say let me talk to the individual 36 state governors, which amounts to asking for their favours, but some of them would ask me to do ten favours in return.
“This is why as a judge I am prohibited from asking for favours”.
Muhammad however told the JUSUN members that the process of making the state government to obey Order 10 and various court judgments on the autonomy of the Judiciary is being implemented.
“The unintended sufferers of this strike are better imagined. It has spiral effects, including on our children and on the Federal Judiciary, which is a lesser culprit.
