NAN-H-56
Success
By Martins Odeh
Abuja, Sept.19, 2017 (NAN) The immediate past Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta on Tuesday attributed the success of his tenure to support he received from judges and staff of the court.
Auta said this during his address at the valedictory session organised by the court to mark his official disengagement from service in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the erstwhile judicial retired from the service on Sept.16 after attaining the mandating age of 65.
“I must confess that the successes achieved during my tenure were because of the total corporation and support of all judges of the court.
“There was never a dissenting voice because I put all my cards on the table with a very open policy as the judges were carried along before decisions could be taken,’’ he said.
Auta urged the judges and the workers of the court to extend such corporation and support to his successor, Justice Abdul Kafarati, to enable him carry the court to greater heights.
He, however, said his only regret was his inability to complete the seven-storey building in the Lagos division of the court.
Auta, however, said he had vigorously pursued institutional and infrastructure development of the court.
“My intention was to specifically make the impact of the court deeply felt in Lagos.
“To achieve that, the leadership commenced a seven-storey court building to ease the challenges of office accommodation facing judges in that division of the court.
“My only regret is that, the project could not be completed due to sharp decline in the financial allocation to the court.’’
Malam Abubakar Malami, (SAN), the Minister of Justice said the judiciary must be supported to enable it retain its integrity, credibility and impartiality.
Malami, who is also the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), commended Auta for displaying rare managerial skills and conduct in the administration of the court.
“He did contribute substantially to the growth of the country’s jurisprudence, his decisions would for long remain reference materials for the court,’’ he said.
On his part, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr Abubakar Mahmud (SAN), described retired Justice Auta as a living testimony that, hard work, diligence and integrity were truly rewarding values.
“The retired chief judge is erudite and courageous,’’ Mahmud said.
The NBA president, represented by the Secretary of the association, Mr Isiaka Olagunju, however, stressed that the exposure of the judiciary to elements which sought to tear it apart must be corrected.
“The judiciary and the legal profession should remain standing, even if other arms of government lie prostrate,’’ he said.
The Acting Chief Judge of the Court, Kafarati, expressed delight on Auta’s leadership quality, adding that he had left the court better than he met it.
“ The court will continue to tap from your wealth of experience,’’ he said. (NAN)
OMO/DUA
Edited by Dada Ahmed