President Bola Tinubu and the ECOWAS Judicial Council led by the Chief Justice of the Federation (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, met on Thursday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja to discuss the enforcement of judgments handed down by the ECOWAS Court.
Recall that while speaking at the opening session of the statutory meeting of the ECOWAS judicial council in Abuja on Tuesday, Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, had admonished the court against delivering unenforceable judgments.
“It is important for the court to pay attention to the peculiarities of member States and refrain from issuing orders and judgments that are practically incapable of enforcement,” the chief law officer had said.
In a chat with correspondents after the villa meeting, Justice Ariwoola, who is chairman of the council, affirmed that enforcement of the court judgment was part of the issues he discussed with the president.
He said: “Attorney-General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), gave that as part of his pitch at the opening session on Tuesday and that is part of my remarks to Mr. President, also this morning that the issue on the enforcement of the judgments of the community court is going to be looked into.
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“We’ve set up two committees; one to look into the rules and the other to look into the position or the status of the enforcement of judgments of the community court and as I told Mr. President, by the time the Council concludes its meeting, the recommendations will show that we have worked so hard to support the (ECOWAS) Commission.”
The CJN noted that the meeting with the president went well, adding that the council will submit its recommendations to the commission at the conclusion of its meeting.
He added: “The meeting with Mr. President went on beautifully. This is a courtesy visit on Mr. President by the ECOWAS Judicial Council and as the Chief Justice of Nigeria, I was elected the Chairman of the ECOWAS Judicial Council.
“The Council has been having its meeting at the Council Hall of the National Judicial Council since Tuesday and that’s why we planned to visit Mr. President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and we were granted the honour to make this visit to appraise His Excellency about what transpired at our meeting.
“We planned to submit our recommendations to the authority when we conclude our meeting. It has been wonderful.”
NIGERIAN TRIBUNE