A constitutional lawyer, Kayode Ajulo, has urged President Bola Tinubu to align the salaries of judges in Nigeria with that of senators.

Mr Ajulo said this in a statement on Monday. He decried the disproportionate remuneration of the judiciary compared to the other two arms of government despite the significance of its works.

He said judges’ social and welfare security should also be critically addressed, including fair and improved salaries and emoluments.

Mr Ajulo drew attention to the 2022 judgment of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, which called for a substantial increment in the salaries of the Chief Justice of Nigeria and other judges.

“It is unacceptable that judges’ salaries have remained stagnant since 2008, and this necessitates immediate action,” he noted. 

Mr Ajulo underscored the crucial role of the judiciary in upholding democracy and serving as the common man’s refuge in governance, stressing that despite shouldering the burden of political irregularities and providing justice for politicians, the judges’ wages do not reflect the significance of their work.

“With less than 300 federal judicial officers compared to over 400 politicians at the national assembly receiving substantial salaries and emoluments, it is imperative to ensure that judges receive salaries commensurate with their indispensable role.”

The salaries of Nigerian judges have remained stagnant since 2008, when they were last reviewed.

Judges receive about N4 million per annum, considered far below what their counterparts earn in other countries.

(NAN)