By Benjamin Babine, Abuja
The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) has re-elected Comrade Marwan Mustapha has been as President, running unopposed to lead the affairs of the Union for the next four years.
In her 4th National Delegates Conference (NDC), JUSUN also elected other officers, a step they claim signifies the strength of the internal democracy culture of the union, aswell as the ability of the leaders to engineer a robust and democratic consensus arrangement.
Others elected are Comrade Abioye O. Emmanuel as the National Deputy President, Comrade Laminu Mustapha as National Vice-President North-Central, Comrade Abukakar S. Bayaro – National Vice-President North-East, Comrade George Sobeye Sokari as the National Vice-President South-South.
Also, Comrade Kayode Olusegun Martins was elected as the National Vice-President South-West, Comrade Abdul-Nasir Muhammad as National Vice-President North-West, Comrade Mbah Chinedu Eusebius as National Vice-President South-East and Comrade Musa Jimoh Alonge as the National Treasurer.
Comrade Marwan, who also is the National Financial Secretary of NLC in his acceptance speech opined that for Nigeria to achieve her desired developmental stride, the leaders must ensure the financial and administrative autonomy of the Judiciary as the third arm of government.
He lamented that the current situation where Judiciary go begging for handout from the executive makes it difficult for both court workers and members of the bench to operate optimally. Speaking further, he frowned at politicisation of appointments in the sector, adding that such practice has been with the acceptable culture of merits.
“Facilities and resources needed to make this happen are in short supply. Courts and court workers and members of the bench are barely managing to cope and survive. The situation is worse and harrowing for lower courts. Over 70% of cases, especially those affecting indigent Nigerians are handled by the magistrate courts. Sadly, they are in dilapidating states and the workers servicing the courts are being demoralized and demobilized.
“The politicization of appointments in the judiciary must stop and a measured and deliberate culture of merit fostered and utilized. Our court hands and assistants need skills and capacity development and upgrade. Salaries and allowances must be paid as and when due compared to the current situation where payments of earned wages have become issues for performance measurement by governments.
“JUSUN is convinced that the financial independence of the judiciary will help address most of the above x-rayed challenges. A well-managed, functional and financially independent judiciary will better serve our national and individual aspirations.”
Others who were elected were Comrade Saidu Magaji Adamu as National Assistant Secretary, Comrade Koin Selepreye (Mrs) as National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Abbo Babagurin as National Financial Secretary , Comrade Amoto Sunday as National Assistant Financial Secretary, Comrade Friday Ochai as National Auditor, Comrade Eze Chinedu Nwachukwu as National Organising Secretary and Comrade Mahmud Amin as the National Legal Officer.
