Swear In 8 Recommended Judges By NJC Before Leaving Office — Afolabi SAN Advises Gov. Obaseki

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Olayiwola Afolabi, has commended the achievements of the outgoing governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, in the provision of conducive working accommodation for workers, including the judiciary, and reforms in the financing of the state.

He posited that the development has resulted in an increase in the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), just as he urged the governor to swear in eight judges who have been recommended by the National Judicial Council (NJC) since June last year.

In an open letter to Obaseki, Afolabi also commended the governor for creating the Edo-GIS for effective land administration and development, among other achievements, but believed that it would be a disservice to those recommended if they were not sworn in.

He said, “I will be most ungrateful if I do not appreciate you for the good works you have done since you emerged as the Governor of this state, which has eradicated the presence of thugs in the system.

“I also cannot help but admire your innovation in creating the Edo State Traffic Management Agency (E.D.S.M.T.A), which has drastically reduced traffic congestion in the state.

“Also, your harmonization of the collection of taxes by passing into law the Edo State Local Governments Uniform and Harmonized Levies, Rates, Fees, and Charges Law, 2017.

Continuing: “Indeed, Sir, your 8 years in office as the Governor of this state have taken the state forward and in the right direction, and I must commend you for a great legacy and standard that you have set.

“Your tenure is indeed unique in the judiciary because your tenure can possibly be the tenure wherein the highest number of judges were sworn in. As I recall, two Judges were sworn in by you on Monday, the 16th of April, 2018, while 8 Judges were also sworn in by you in 2021.

“In view of the above fact, I want to use this medium to appeal to you, sir, to please consider the swearing-in of the eight judge designates.”

He said the persons in question “are now junior in rank to their colleagues in other states who have already been sworn in; I believe it is better late than never.”