Lagos Govt. Seeks To Amend High Court Law, Says Ambode

Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on Wednesday said a bill
seeking to amend the High Court law was underway, to meet up with
the rising population of the state.

Ambode spoke in Alausa, Ikeja, at the swearing-in ceremony of
three judges of the High Court of Lagos State.

He said that the bill, when passed and signed into law, would
increase the number of judges in the state to 120 from 59.

“In order to address the challenges of the growing population
and the attendant increase in commercial transactions and disputes,
we have sent a bill to the state House of Assembly seeking to amend
the high court law to fit the number of judges in this state at 120
from the present 59.

“We expect this to be invariably considered and passed very
soon,’’ Ambode said.

The governor said that these were some of the new innovations
that would further position the state judiciary to meet the
challenges of dispensing justice quickly and speedily.

“By 2050, Lagos State will be the third largest city in the
world with a population of 50 million; right now we are just about
24 million.

“So, obviously if we are the fifth largest economy in Africa
right now and we are striving to become the third largest economy,
it means to tell you the commercial activities and disputes that
will be taking place.

The newly sworn-in Judges of the
Lagos State High Court during their Swearing-in-Ceremony at the
Banquet Hall, Lagos State House, Ikeja on Wednesday May 2nd, 2018.

“We need to build a framework immediately to have a justified
reason for us to increase the pool of our judges and also improve
on the institutional framework surrounding the judiciary,’’ he
said.

The governor admonished the newly appointed judges to be
fearless in the discharge of their duties and to always allow
professional ethics to govern their acts and utterances within and
outside the court.

“You must determine and discharge justice with independence and
impartiality through the oath you have just taken, which is neither
an empty ritual nor a matter of mere formal proceeding.

“It is an open demonstration of commitment in the form of making
a solemn and formal promise in which the oath taker will be held
accountable not only to the judiciary, the state and the country
but also to your creator.

“The oath is a commitment of loyalty and service to the people
of the state which has its roots in the constitution of Nigeria,’’
the governor said.

Earlier, the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Opeyemi Oke
charged the new judges to be firm, truthful and unwavering in the
discharge of their duties.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the new judges are
Justices Sururat Oladunni, Olukayode Ogunjobi and Yetunde
Pinheiro.

In a vote of thanks, Oladunni, who spoke on behalf of the new
judges, appreciated the governor for finding them worthy.

She pledged that they would remain committed, focused and be
incorruptible.

Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on Wednesday said a bill
seeking to amend the High Court law was underway, to meet up with
the rising population of the state.

Ambode spoke in Alausa, Ikeja, at the swearing-in ceremony of
three judges of the High Court of Lagos State.

He said that the bill, when passed and signed into law, would
increase the number of judges in the state to 120 from 59.

“In order to address the challenges of the growing population
and the attendant increase in commercial transactions and disputes,
we have sent a bill to the state House of Assembly seeking to amend
the high court law to fit the number of judges in this state at 120
from the present 59.

“We expect this to be invariably considered and passed very
soon,’’ Ambode said.

The governor said that these were some of the new innovations
that would further position the state judiciary to meet the
challenges of dispensing justice quickly and speedily.

“By 2050, Lagos State will be the third largest city in the
world with a population of 50 million; right now we are just about
24 million.

“So, obviously if we are the fifth largest economy in Africa
right now and we are striving to become the third largest economy,
it means to tell you the commercial activities and disputes that
will be taking place.

The newly sworn-in Judges of the
Lagos State High Court during their Swearing-in-Ceremony at the
Banquet Hall, Lagos State House, Ikeja on Wednesday May 2nd, 2018.

“We need to build a framework immediately to have a justified
reason for us to increase the pool of our judges and also improve
on the institutional framework surrounding the judiciary,’’ he
said.

The governor admonished the newly appointed judges to be
fearless in the discharge of their duties and to always allow
professional ethics to govern their acts and utterances within and
outside the court.

“You must determine and discharge justice with independence and
impartiality through the oath you have just taken, which is neither
an empty ritual nor a matter of mere formal proceeding.

“It is an open demonstration of commitment in the form of making
a solemn and formal promise in which the oath taker will be held
accountable not only to the judiciary, the state and the country
but also to your creator.

“The oath is a commitment of loyalty and service to the people
of the state which has its roots in the constitution of Nigeria,’’
the governor said.

Earlier, the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Opeyemi Oke
charged the new judges to be firm, truthful and unwavering in the
discharge of their duties.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the new judges are
Justices Sururat Oladunni, Olukayode Ogunjobi and Yetunde
Pinheiro.

In a vote of thanks, Oladunni, who spoke on behalf of the new
judges, appreciated the governor for finding them worthy.

She pledged that they would remain committed, focused and be
incorruptible.