Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, has said the state chief judge and house of assembly speaker use bullet-proof vehicles like himself because all tiers of government should be equal.

Mr Nwifuru made the declaration on Tuesday in Abakaliki during a dinner he organised for the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, who is in the state on an official visit.

The governor said he believes that the three tiers of government should operate with the same official paraphernalia to achieve overall peace, harmony, growth and development.

“The legislature and judiciary deliver dividends of democracy to the people more than the executive arm though people might say this view is because I come from the legislative arm. I cannot remember as a governor, when last I reached my local government area chairman or village head but legislators are in steady contact with these people,” he said.

Mr Nwifuru who served as the Speaker of the state House of Assembly between 2015 and 2023, said that judges risked their lives by sentencing convicted criminals.

“These criminals work for politicians and judges have sleepless nights while trying to sentence them on conviction. When these criminals regain freedom through the prerogative of mercy, you will discover that the judges are at risk when these criminals meet them on the road,” he said.

He noted that though his administration had not totally achieved its aspirations towards the state judiciary, it was not complaining.

“I promise that before the end of my administration, Ebonyi will be a place people from other places would come to learn,” he said.

In his remarks, Mr Fagbemi, thanked the governor for hosting him and the attorneys-general of the five states of the South-East zone.

“I like the passion with which you discharged your duties and the remark that you have an able and efficient attorney-general. This is because you gave him the platform to be efficient as a commissioner or minister,” he said.

He pledged that his ministry would do all within its powers to implement all Federal Government policies to reform the nation’s judiciary.

In his speech, the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Ben Odoh, said that the state was happy to receive the minister and other state attorneys-general.

(NAN)