Shettima to Judges: Avoid Serving Parochial Interests  

Vice President Kashim Shettima has warned against blackmail in the judiciary, emphasizing that the nation’s legal system must not be compromised to serve parochial interests.

Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday at the maiden Body of Benchers Annual Lecture and the public presentation of the report of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, Shettima urged judges and legal practitioners to uphold justice without succumbing to pressure from what he described as agents of anarchy.

“As custodians of the law, the judiciary remains a fundamental pillar of our sovereign existence. A nation is only as accountable, fair, and orderly as those who make, enforce, and interpret its laws,” he said.

The Vice President stressed that laws are not mere technicalities but the foundation of civilization, warning that any attempt to manipulate the legal system for selfish gains threatens national stability.

“Without laws, there is no order. Without order, there is no society. Every time justice is delayed or bent to serve vested interests, we erode the foundation of our nation. And if that foundation crumbles, no matter how high we have built, everything falls apart,” he stated.

Shettima also dismissed the notion that justice belongs to the loudest voices, describing it as one of the gravest misconceptions. He, however, commended the judiciary for standing firm in upholding justice, citing its role in affirming President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s mandate despite political pressures.

“In reality, justice is just as essential to the most voiceless individual. It affirms that a nation is not ruled by mobs but by the rule of law. The judiciary’s decision to uphold President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s mandate, despite political blackmail, reflects its resilience against vested interests and commitment to national stability,” he added.

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