The National Judicial Institute (NJI) has dismissed reports circulating on social media claiming that judges attending the 2025 All Nigeria Judges Conference in Abuja sang the political chant “On Your Mandate We Shall Stand” in support of President Bola Tinubu.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the NJI’s Head of Information, Media and Public Relations, Kolade Umoru, described the allegations as “entirely false” and not reflective of what occurred during Monday’s opening ceremony.
According to the institute, the only song rendered collectively by participants was the Nigerian national anthem, performed at both the beginning and end of the event. Umoru clarified that no judge chanted or participated in any political song at any point.
The NJI explained that a brief rendition of “On Your Mandate” was played solely by the Guards Brigade Band as part of its standard ceremonial protocol to usher the President to the podium. “The Judiciary had no control over the musical selections of the Brigade, which operates under military ceremonial procedures,” the statement noted.
Judges were said to have stood only out of respect as the President approached the podium—a standard gesture of protocol, not a political display.
Reaffirming its independence, the NJI stressed that the judiciary “remains strictly non-partisan, deeply committed to constitutional neutrality, and wholly insulated from political activities or symbols of political allegiance.”
The institute urged the public and media organisations to verify information before sharing it, warning that the spread of false narratives risks undermining confidence in national institutions.
The statement emphasized that the judges’ conference is a statutory professional gathering aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s justice system and reinforcing public trust in the judiciary.