The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate in Abia State, Dr. Kelechi Anosike, has condemned the repeated industrial actions by judicial workers in the state, promising to prioritise their welfare and ensure full financial autonomy for the judiciary if elected governor in 2027.
Anosike made the pledge while addressing more than 495 lawyers at a dinner he hosted at the Atlantic Presidential Hall of the Presidential Hotel in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The event was held on the sidelines of the Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, in Port Harcourt and was attended by Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SANs, professors of law, lecturers and other members of the legal profession.
Anosike described the four strikes embarked upon by judicial workers in Abia within three years as “condemnable and appalling,” stressing that prolonged disruption of court activities affects the administration of justice and the wider economy.
He said, “A judiciary that is repeatedly shut down affects the administration of justice, the economy, businesses, litigants and the fundamental rights of citizens.”
The PDP candidate also criticised what he described as “executive cherry-picking” in the release of funds appropriated to the judiciary.
According to him, once the judiciary’s budget has been proposed, defended, passed by the State House of Assembly and assented to by the governor, funds should be released as appropriated without selective withholding by the executive.
He argued that predictable funding is necessary for effective planning and the realisation of judicial financial autonomy.
Beyond the judiciary, Anosike outlined his proposed welfare-focused agenda for Abia State, saying his administration would prioritise the wellbeing and dignity of workers and other residents.
He said salaries and allowances would be paid as and when due, while pensions and gratuities would be cleared and promotions granted when they become due.
The PDP governorship candidate said workers who dedicate their productive years to serving the state deserve dignity both in service and retirement.
He also promised policies aimed at supporting vulnerable residents and reducing economic hardship, insisting that government should exist primarily to improve the lives of citizens, create opportunities and protect their dignity.
Anosike said his vision was to build an Abia State where government works for the people and where residents can face the future with hope, dignity and confidence.
The political gathering in Port Harcourt also attracted attention because the Abia State Government reportedly scheduled a separate dinner for members of the state’s legal community on the same day and around the same time at the Golden Tulip Hotel in the city.
