The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari has commended the efforts of the Chairman of the Body of Benchers, Chief Wole Olanipekun in his emphatic efforts towards championing the cause of the welfare of judicial officers across the country.

The President made this statement during the ceremony which followed the commissioning of the Body of Benchers Complex at the Institution and Research District, Jabi, Abuja.

President Buhari noted that he had been intimated of the engagement of a notable consulting company in the country to carry out a peer review of welfare packages for judicial officers across the country, as he eagerly awaits the submission of the reports by the consultants in order to assist the government in implementation of the review.

He urged the Judiciary to maintain the position of an honest arbiter, stating that he was not unmindful of the vital role the legal profession play in the electioneering process.

According to Buhari “A society where justice thrives is one that can be assured of development.

“For Nigeria to effectively embrace sustainable development, institutions such as the legal profession must remain deeply committed towards promoting good governance.

“As the 2023 general elections draw near, the significance of the legal profession becomes even more pronounced considering the vital roles you play in the electioneering process, both at the pre and post-election stages.

“I hope you maintain the position of an honest arbiter”.

The entire complex which consists of a 3000 sitting capacity auditorium, a 240 sitting capacity meeting, a 1000 sitting capacity banquet hall, a 1000 sitting capacity multipurpose hall, committee meeting room, offices for secretariat staff, library and a courtroom for the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, is expected to henceforth host the Call to Bar Ceremonies of new entrants into the legal profession.

Dignitaries at the occasion were the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN, Honorable Minister of the FCT, Honorable Minister of Works and Housing, amongst others.