By Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin
A Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Chima Centus Nweze, has lent his voice to the alleged probe of judges standing trial for alleged corruption in the country.
He noted without contradiction that “the criticisms geared towards eliciting the most insightful probe into their conduct should be accommodated”.
Nweze disclosed this while delivering the 16th edition of Justice Chukwunweike Idigbe annual memorial lecture titled, “Constitutional Adjudication for Democratic Consolidation in Nigeria: The role of the Supreme court”.
The event was organised by the University of Benin in appreciation of the contributions and the development of the legal profession in Nigeria by the late Supreme court Justice Chukwunweike Idigbe.
The Supreme Court Justice charged the relevant institutions of government to show commitment in curbing poverty which he claimed has blighted millions of Nigerians.
He stated further that the conception of social justice in Section (2) and (b) in the 1999 Constitution, which provides that: “The security and welfare of the people shall be the primary response of government”, was fast becoming a theory in principle rather than practice.
Nweze, also said the intendment of “Section 16 (2) (c) of the Constitution was designed to obliterate all inequalities and afford equal opportunities to all Citizens in social and economic matters”, but, “a constitutional conundrum has continued to trail the juridical character of social economic rights of Nigeria” which ought to give succour to the Citizenry.
He challenged the National Assembly to constitutionalise socio-economic rights as in other African countries as a way of eradicating poverty, illiteracy, mitigate hunger and hardship in the land.
He enumerated the roles of the apex court in deepening democracy and uniting Nigeria in a plethora of judgements including the Supreme Court position on the doctrine of necessity and the rule of law which he said has helped to preserve the independence of the judiciary.
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