By Peter Anosike
Going by the recent developments in the country, the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Opeyemi Oke has charged the executive arm of government to always uphold the rule of law.
Speaking at the Hon. Justice Adetunji Adefarasin Memorial Lecture on organised by the Christian Lawyers Fellowship of Nigeria, Lagos Sub-region (CLASFON), with the theme: Conflict In The Arms of Governance: The Role of Bar and Bench in the Dispensation of Justice, she said that no democracy can survive without the rule of law.
She noted that the situation in the country at the moment called the judiciary to duty and urged members of the bar and bench not to fold their hands but make their voice heard.
The Chief Judge also noted that the judiciary has a big role to play in the doctrine of separation of powers and called for harmonious relationship with the other arms of government.
Also speaking at the forum, Justice Moronike Obadina, a judge of the High Court of Lagos State said in order to make the third arm of government truly independent, the much talked about financial autonomy should become a reality, to prevent situation where heads of courts go cap in hand to the executive to implement their budget.
According to her, judiciary as the third of the government is equal and not subservient to the other arms. She said that domineering rule of one arm over the other arms of government would always engender antagonism and conflict.