Why I Bought Bulletproof Vehicles For Myself, Speaker And Chief Judge – Ebonyi Gov

Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, has justified the reason for buying bulletproof vehicles for himself, the House of Assembly Speaker and the State Chief judge.

According to the governor, his administration bought exotic vehicles for the chief judge and the speaker because all tiers of government should be equal.

Nwifuru stated this on Tuesday night in Abakaliki during a dinner he organised for the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the federation, Lateef Fagbemi, who is on an official programme in the state.

The governor said he believes that the three tiers of government should operate with the same official paraphernalia to achieve overall peace, harmony, growth, and development.

He said: “The legislature and judiciary deliver dividends of democracy to the people more than the executive arm, though people might say this view is because I come from the legislative arm.

“I cannot remember, as a governor, when last I reached my local government area chairman or village head, but legislators are in steady contact with these people.”

Nwifuru, who served as the Speaker of the State House of Assembly between 2015 and 2023, said that judges risked their lives by sentencing convicted criminals.

The governor noted that though his administration has yet to achieve its aspirations towards the state judiciary, it was not complaining.

He said: “These criminals work for politicians, and judges have sleepless nights trying to sentence them on conviction.

“When these criminals regain freedom through the prerogative of mercy, you will discover that the judges are at risk when these criminals meet them on the road.

“I promise that before the end of my administration, Ebonyi will be a place where people from other places will come to learn.”

In his remarks, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, thanked the governor for hosting him and the attorneys-general of the five states in the southeast zone.

He said: “I like the passion with which you discharged your duties and the remark that you have an able and efficient attorney general.

“This is because you gave him the platform to be efficient as a commissioner or minister.”

He pledged that his ministry would do all within its powers to implement all federal government policies to reform the nation’s judiciary.