Former Sokoto State Governor Senator Aminu Tambuwal says the judiciary can restore the hope of Nigerians in the country.
He said this is possible when the people can identify affordable access to justice and quick determination of cases.
The Senator representing Sokoto South said this during the opening session of the 2023 Law Week of the Abuja Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA (Unity Bar).
According to him, the law, being a tool for social engineering, ought to be interpreted and always applied to meet the tenets of justice.
In his words, “The primary function of the judiciary is to ensure justice for the people. The courts play a huge role in deciding the fate of parties in a dispute. It also punishes people for committing crimes.
“The parties in dispute, in the case of Nigeria, may be between the tiers of government, between citizens and government or between one citizen and another.
“Social conflict will escalate and where there is no hope that justice will be served by recourse to the courts, anarchy may result.
“It is only when the judiciary applies the laws and culprits are punished that the desired deterrence is realized.
“In other words, through this process, the judiciary is able to curb crimes.
“Even in the relationship between the executive and the Legislature conflicts arise and it is the place of the judiciary to resolve such disputes.
“If law is social engineering then legal professionals are social engineers most suited to resolve the socio political challenges in society.
“Legal professionals in Nigeria have over the years played impactful roles through governmental and non governmental institutions in reforming Nigeria’s socio political economy.
“By their special training, knowledge, skills and professionalism, society expects no less of them.
“It must be noted that where citizen’s are financially incapacitated from approaching the courts to air their grievances, resort to self help may arise and society will relapse into anarchy,” he added.
