By Daniel Tyokua
President Bola Tinubu on Monday, inaugurated the newly completed Court of Appeal, Abuja Division building complex at Dakibiyu in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)
Speaking at the event, Tinubu said the facility is a statement that under the Renewed Hope Agenda, “the rule of law will have a befitting home.”
He said the Abuja Division had long operated from a cramped, temporary space, which he described as “unacceptable.”
According to him, “When I visited and saw the condition, I gave a simple instruction: fix it. Today, we have fixed it,” the President said.
He singled out the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, for commendation, calling him “Mr. Project.”
“Wike, you are truly ‘Mr. Project’. When I appointed you as the Minister of the FCT, I knew you would not sleep. You took the assignment to deliver this project in May 2024. By July, contractors were on site. You promised 16 months. You delivered in record time. No excuses. No variation. Just results. Nigerians can see the difference. Well done,” Tinubu said.
Tinubu represented by the Vice president Kashim Shettina, described the new complex as world-class, with two large and eight smaller courtrooms designed to speed up the hearing of cases. He said it would improve access to justice, uphold the rule of law, maintain order in the FCT, and reduce congestion in correctional centres.
“This is how you honour the Judiciary. This is how you strengthen democracy,” he added.
Tinubu linked the project to his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, noting ongoing efforts to reform the judiciary, increase funding, and restore dignity to public institutions across health, education, roads, and power.
He also praised the Minister of the FCT for “domesticating” the policy thrust by building more courts, constructing residences for judicial officers, digitizing judicial processes in the Territory, and supporting legal education.
Addressing Justices of the Court of Appeal, Tinubu said the Abuja Division handles heavy dockets ranging from election petitions to constitutional matters, and deserves an environment that matches its responsibility.
“This complex is not a favour. It is your right. And we will do more,” he said. “As you move into this complex, Nigeria asks one thing of you: let justice be swift. Let it be fair. Let it be blind to status, tribe, or purse. Let the common man feel that this Court is truly his last hope.”
The President commended Visible Construction Limited, the indigenous firm that built the complex, saying its delivery shows “local companies have the capacity to deliver high-quality projects on time.”
He also thanked residents of the FCT for enduring the inconveniences of construction, noting they now have “a Court of Appeal complex you can be proud of.”
Tinubu concluded by praying that the edifice “stands as a symbol of our democracy” and delivers judgments that “unite and strengthen our nation.”
