Mr. Adedayo Akinlaja
| credits: ekitistate.gov.ng
A Senior of Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Adedayo Akinlaja, on Wednesday said an effective and corruption-free judicial system would strengthen the country‘s democracy.
Speaking at a Media Parliament of the Kwara State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Ilorin, Akinlaja said there was the need to empower the judiciary to efficiently discharge its constitutional roles.
He added that the judiciary should be independent in ‘practical’ ways, and that it should be well funded and accorded financial autonomy, stressing that judges should continuously update their knowledge as a way of ensuring an effective judiciary.
Akinlaja, who is the immediate past Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Ekiti State, said journalists had a fundamental role to play in sanitising the judiciary and ensuring accountability and good governance.
He said the Freedom of Information Act would assist in ensuring accountability, probity and transparency in governance.
“The time has come for us to call the judiciary to duty by taking advantage of the Freedom of Information. The responsibility of repositioning the judiciary cannot be left in the hands of judicial personnel or government alone, journalists also have a fundamental, pivotal role to play,” Akinlaja said.