Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to ensuring that the state’s judiciary remains independent, effective, and courageous in the dispensation of justice.
The governor made the pledge while declaring open the 2025/2026 Legal Year at a special court session held at the Rivers State High Court Complex in Port Harcourt on Friday.
Governor Fubara commended both the Bar and Bench for their dedication to upholding the integrity of the judicial system. He described the state judiciary as one of the best in Nigeria, noting that it boasts some of the most brilliant and fearless judicial minds in the country.
“As ministers in the temple of justice,” the governor told lawyers, “you are under oath to conduct yourselves with honesty, uphold the rule of law, and advance the course of justice at all times. Likewise, every judge must provide equal justice to all persons according to law, without fear or favour.”
He emphasized that the judicial oath was not a mere recitation of words but a solemn moral commitment requiring courage, fairness, and impartiality.
Fubara urged all courts in the state to perform their duties with integrity, promote substantial justice, and safeguard citizens’ rights and democratic values.
On the political situation in the state, the governor declared that the crisis was over and all parties had reconciled. “We have moved on,” he said. “I bear no grudges. My administration is now fully re-energised to deliver people-oriented policies and projects aimed at improving the welfare of our citizens.”
He pledged continued collaboration with the House of Assembly, the Judiciary, and other stakeholders to sustain peace and fast-track the state’s development. The governor also commended the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi, for his exemplary leadership and commitment to justice delivery.
Earlier, during a thanksgiving service at the Corpus Christi Catholic Cathedral, Port Harcourt, Fubara urged judicial officers to remain steadfast as custodians of justice and to ensure that the innocent are not punished unjustly.
In his remarks, Justice Amadi decried the absence of a Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy in the state, noting that the development has worsened congestion in custodial centres. He revealed that there are currently 493 male and 15 female inmates on death row and appealed for government intervention to review their cases.
He thanked the governor for his support to the judiciary and called for more assistance to reduce the challenges faced by judicial officers in the course of their duties.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Port Harcourt Branch, Mrs. Cordelia Eke, lamented that the previous legal year, which began with optimism, was marred by political and institutional turbulence. She said the absence of an Attorney-General had stalled justice delivery, caused unprocessed legal applications, and led to financial losses.
According to her, the situation underscored the need to strengthen laws that protect institutions and ensure the uninterrupted functioning of the justice system even in difficult times.
Similarly, former NBA President and member of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (BOSAN), Chief Onueze Okocha (SAN), expressed concern over the declining public confidence in the judiciary. He blamed the situation on inconsistent judgments and delayed cases, urging judicial officers to resist personal interests and uphold integrity in their work.
Delivering the homily, Apostolic Administrator of the Catholic Diocese of Port Harcourt, Right Reverend Patrick S. Eluke, charged members of the legal profession to combine moral integrity with professional excellence. He warned against hypocrisy and rivalry within the Bar and Bench, insisting that true justice must defend the weak and remain unswayed by political or material influence.
He also called on public officeholders to demonstrate accountability and patriotism, adding that democracy and justice can only thrive where integrity and fairness prevail.
