Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Wednesday said that it was unethical for members of the executive arm of government to sing President Bola Tinubu’s political slogan at a judges’ conference.
In a statement, he personally signed, Atiku said singing of such partisan songs at a conference of another arm of government where Tinubu sermonised about safeguarding integrity and upholding the sanctity of the judicial profession was deceitful.
But the National Judicial Institute (NJI), has described as misleading and inaccurate reports circulating on social media suggesting that judges attending the 2025 All Nigeria Judges Conference sang a political chorus in allegiance to Tinubu at the event on Monday.
However, according to Atiku: ‘’On Monday I was sent a video clip from Channels TV’s coverage of the opening session of the 2025 All Nigerian Judges Conference. What I saw was nothing short of an assault on our national dignity.
“On Your Mandate, President Tinubu’s personal political anthem, was brazenly played in place of the National Anthem at the end of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun’s speech.’
‘’My first instinct was to dismiss it as a deepfake. But once it was confirmed to be authentic—an actual reflection of what transpired on the very day President Tinubu lectured the judiciary on integrity and the rule of law, I waited for an explanation from the Presidency or the office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN). (But it was) silence. Total, deafening silence.
‘’This incident is not isolated. The Tinubu-led APC government has consistently pursued a systematic capture of state institutions, crushing opposition voices, and steering Nigeria toward a de facto one-party state,” the former vice president stated.
‘Ironically, he noted that on the same day, Tinubu stood before Nigerian judges and sermonised about safeguarding integrity and upholding the sanctity of their profession, stressing that “confidence is the lifeblood of justice,” and that public perception must be fiercely protected to sustain our democracy.
‘’Yet, while preaching morality, his administration allowed (or engineered) the playing of his own partisan campaign music before the entire Nigerian judiciary — a shocking desecration of protocol, ethics, and national pride.
‘’Let it be said clearly and without hesitation: Replacing the National Anthem with Tinubu’s ‘On Your Mandate’ in a hall full of judges is reckless, scandalous, disgraceful, and deeply irresponsible.
‘’It is the most blatant signal yet that this government is attempting to drag the judiciary into the partisan gutters of the APC, if not coerce a wholesale ‘defection’ of Nigerian judges into political alignment,” Atiku added.
He raised concerns over how confidence can be built when the executive arm openly inserts partisan propaganda into a solemn judicial gathering.
“ How can judges dispense justice fearlessly when Tinubu’s operatives are busy eroding the boundaries between state, party, and personal ambition?
‘’Let the records be clear: Nigerian judges swore an oath to defend the Constitution, justice, and the rule of law, not to stand ‘on the mandate’ of Bola Ahmed Tinubu or any other individual. This affront must be condemned by all who still believe in constitutional democracy,’’ Atiku stated.
But in a response NJI described the reports as misleading and inaccurate. NJI’s Head of Information, Media and Public Relations, Mr. Kolade Umoru, in a statement on Wednesday maintained that “the claim is entirely false, unfounded, and does not reflect the events that transpired at the ceremony”.
According to the spokesman, the National Anthem was the only song rendered collectively by all participants at both the commencement and conclusion of the opening ceremony.
“No Judge in attendance sang or chanted any political song at any point during the programme. The brief rendition of the tune ‘On Your Mandate’ was not initiated, requested, or endorsed by the judiciary. It was played solely by the Guards Brigade Band as part of their ceremonial protocol to usher the President to the podium for his address,” the organisation said.
Umoru explained that the judiciary had no control over the musical selections of the Brigade, which operates under military ceremonial procedures, adding that, “Out of due deference to the Office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Judges rose to their feet as the President walked to the podium”.
The statement assured that the judiciary remains strictly non-partisan, deeply committed to constitutional neutrality, and wholly insulated from political activities or symbols of political allegiance.
“The 2025 All Nigeria Judges Conference is a statutory and professional gathering focused on strengthening the justice system and reinforcing public confidence in the judiciary. Any attempt to distort the solemnity of the event or attribute political motives to judicial officers is unfortunate, misleading, and a disservice to the public.
“We urge members of the public and the media to exercise restraint, verify information, and avoid amplifying falsehoods capable of undermining the integrity of national institutions. The judiciary will continue to uphold its oath of office with dignity, independence, and unwavering fidelity to the constitution”, the statement added.
Chuks Okocha, Alex Enumah
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