The Chief Judge of Niger state, Justice Aliyu M Maiyaki, has declared that holding a Quran or Bible while taking oaths of office and allegiance by public office holders is unconstitutional.
Justice Mayaki stated this Wednesday at the swearing -in ceremony of three new high court judges of the state at Government House, Minna.
He stated that : “Holding the Bible or Quran is a mere symbol which is not a constitutional requirement. The important thing is the conscience of the individual taking the oath. This is the reason why I allow the new judges to take oath of office and allegiance with holding the Quran or Bible”
The chief Judge, while responding to observation that the newly sworn-in judges did not hold to either the Bible or Quran as popularly practiced in such event, argued that such a practice was merely symbolic.
Raising the observation, Governor Abubakar Sani Bello said he was curiously eager to know what exempted the new judges from holding Quran and Bible while taking the oath of office and that of allegiance.
Governor Bello said he held on to the Quran in 2015 and 2019 while taking oath of office as the governor of the state and demanded explanation from the Chief Judge on why the judges did not hold to the two religious symbols.
However, after the explanation by the chief judge, the governor said public officers in the state may not have to swear with the Bible or Quran while taking oath of office since it is unconstitutional.
He urged the new judges to be honest and fair in the dispensation of justice.
