NBA President warns that governors giving cars and gifts to judges undermines judicial independence and public confidence in the courts

NBA President warns that public gifts from state governors to judges undermine judicial independence and erode public confidence in the judiciary.

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Afam Osigwe described such gestures as demeaning and damaging in a recent interview with Channels Television.

Osigwe criticized governors who showcase donations of cars, houses, or other items to judges, saying the practice fuels perceptions of undue influence by the executive.

“It is concerning that governors would do things for the judiciary as if they were doing them a favour,” he said.

The NBA President stressed that no judiciary can claim true independence if it relies on the executive for operational needs. “Even if it is independent, the perception will always be that they are at the beck and call of the executive,” he declared.

He urged state governments to ensure judicial needs—from infrastructure to vehicles—are included in budgets and managed internally by the judiciary.

“The executive should not emasculate the judiciary or reduce them to a beggar. It demeans the judiciary and robs it of its independence,” Osigwe warned.

Highlighting the importance of public trust, he said, “Justice is rooted in confidence, and the day that confidence is eroded, the people’s faith in the judiciary will forever be diminished.”

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The NBA President called on states to emulate the federal judiciary’s financial autonomy to safeguard the credibility and independence of the courts.