Governor Abiodun inaugurates first judicial service commission

* Urges members to shun partisanship

Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun has urged members of the
newly-inaugurated state’s Judicial Service Commission to shun
partisanship, be firm and fair at all times in the discharge of
their duties.The governor stated this yesterday in his office at
Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, while inaugurating the first commission in his
administration’s five-month history.

In a statement by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Kunle
Somorin, Abiodun reminded members of the commission that their role
was very sensitive, which demands that they should be circumspect
and resist lobbyists. He said: “You must shun partisanship, be firm
and be fair at all times in carrying out your duties. The
commission has a lot to play in recommending people to a higher
Bench.

“You should also bring to bear your vast wealth of experience in
the machineries of administration of justice in our state.”Members
of the judicial service commission are Joel Soyinka, Nurudeen Aina,
Mrs. Yetunde Adesanya and Sola Elegbeji.While the chairman of the
commission is statutorily the Chief Judge of the state, Justice
Mosunmola Dipeolu, Mr. Kolawole Peters will serve as the secretary
of the commission.

According to the governor: “This is a duty that should not be
treated lightly. In carrying out your duty, you must live and be
seen to be above board as your recommendations could have
far-reaching and sometimes great implications for the health of the
larger society.”The governor noted that the inauguration marked
another symbolic steps towards ensuring effective and efficient
administration of justice, which itself was an important component
of good governance.

Abiodun, who said that his administration was aware of the
importance of effective justice system to the successful
implementation of “building our future together, said: “As an
administration that desires the symbolic Public Private Partnership
(PPP), we appreciate the fact that we must not only ensure that
justice is served to our people, but also efficient system of
justice.

The governor, who pledged to remove all forms of impediments
that could deny the people access to justice, re-assured the
judiciary of his administration’s commitment to independent
judiciary, just as he assured judiciary officers of the art
facilities to ease their work.While assuring of a cordial working
relationship with the all the three arms of government, he urged
family members and friends to desist from putting undue pressure on
the commission’s members to compromise the proper discharge of
their duties, saying that their selection was the demonstration of
government confidence and the people’s expectations, urging them to
conduct themselves with decorum and maturity befitting their new
positions.

In her remark, the chief judge of the state charged members of
the commission to follow laid down guidelines and be ready to work
for the good of the state. Soyinka, who responded on behalf of
other members, promised that they would not let the state down by
discharging their duties faithfully, thanking the governor for the
confidence reposed in them.