The Conference of Nigeria Registered Voters (CNRV) has warned that judicial workers may cast protest votes against President Goodluck Jonathan in the March 28 presidential poll if nothing is done to end the current nationwide courts closure occasioned by the judicial workers strike.

CNRV said this in a letter addressed to President dated March 2, 2015 and signed by its President, Barrister Jezie Ekejiuba, that workers in the judiciary sector are angry over Jonathan’s non-intervention on a very important national issue that bothers on the rule of law.

“We wish to bring to the attention of Mr. President that thousands of Nigerians who earn their livelihood from the Judiciary Sector notably the state judicial workers and lawyers, etc, are now suffering from economic deprivation. Equally, thousands of guardians who have their loved ones detained in various police cells across the nation and litigants in need of protecting their legal rights are deprived of their rights to secure freedom for their wards and judicial protection respectively,” Ekejiuba said in the letter, a copy of which is in the possession of News Express.

The human rights lawyer advised that every Nigerian should be given a conducive atmosphere to vote according to his/her conscience and not according to his/her anger.

“We are indeed saddened by the silence of President Jonathan on this issue,” the CNRV President said.

“We have no doubt that a Presidential directive to the Accountant-General of the Federation to fully comply with the orders as contained in the judgment will put an end to the current nationwide State courts closure in the country. This is because the buck stops at Mr. Presidential table,” he added.

News Express report that the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) embarked on a nation-wide strike in January 5, 2015. The strike, according to the union, is aimed at forcing the 36 state governments to implement the judgment delivered by Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on January 13, 2014 which upheld Section 162(9) of the Nigerian Constitution that preserves the financial autonomy status of the judiciary.

The court also ordered the Accountant-General of the Federation to be deducting funds standing to the credit of the judiciary in the Federation Account and be remitting it directly to the various heads of court.

•Photo shows CNRV President, Barr. Ekejiuba.

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