L-R Chairman, Body of Benchers, HRM Albert Akpomudje, SAN, FCT Minister, Barr Nyesom Wike, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, Former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere Ekun, Minister of State, FCT, Dr Mariya Mahmoud during the commissioning of the newly completed Body of Benchers office annex in Abuja on Monday
FCTA PRESS RELEASE
RESIDENT TINUBU COMMISSIONS BODY OF BENCHERS OFFICE ANNEX IN ABUJA
…REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO THE RULE OF LAW
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has officially commissioned the newly completed Office Annex for the Body of Benchers located in the Institutional and Research District of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
Speaking during the commissioning ceremony in Abuja on Monday, July 6, 2026, President Tinubu disclosed that the state-of-the-art edifice, represents a critical milestone in the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at strengthening democratic institutions, ensuring judicial independence, and enhancing the operational capacity of the apex regulatory body of the Nigerian legal profession.
President Tinubu who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief George Akume, emphasized that providing top-tier infrastructure for the legal community is a constitutional duty of the Executive to foster efficiency, rather than an interference in judicial independence.
"Today’s ceremony is not merely a celebration of a beautiful edifice crafted with architectural excellence. It is a resounding affirmation of our administration’s steadfast commitment to the rule of law, the independence of our institutions, and the dignity of the Nigerian legal profession," President Tinubu stated.
The President highly commended the Honorable Minister of the FCT, Barrister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, for his aggressive infrastructural drive, noting that the timely completion of the project reflects the FCT's ongoing urban renaissance.
He also highlighted ongoing holistic interventions in the legal ecosystem, including the construction of two 300-bed hostels at the Nigerian Law School in Bwari, the completed Nile University access road, and a dedicated new Fire Service Station for the institutional district, stressing that the FCT was witnessing a remarkable renaissance due to the scale of ongoing infrastructure development.
“When I appointed the Minister, I gave him a clear mandate: to transform Abuja into a modern, functional, and world-class capital city. Over the last three years, the scale of infrastructural development, urban renewal, and project delivery in the FCT has been unmatched. From the Court of Appeal Complex and the newly developed Judges' Quarters to massive road networks like the Outer Southern Expressway, this city is witnessing a remarkable renaissance”, President Tinubu stated.
Stressing that the timely completion and handover of this Body of Benchers Annex was yet another feather in that cap of accelerated governance, President Tinubu added, “It shows that when the leadership is focused, things get done, and they get done right”.
He charged the leadership and members of the legal body to see the new facility as a catalyst for systemic advancement. "As you settle into this expanded space, I urge you to use it as a sanctuary for justice, mentorship, and deep reflection on how we can continue to reform our legal system to meet the contemporary needs of our citizens," the President stated.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Body of Benchers, HRM Albert Akpomudje, SAN, expressed deep gratitude to President Tinubu and the FCT Minister for facilitating the project in record time. He noted that the annex is a strategic addition that will greatly minimize accommodation challenges for members traveling from outside Abuja to attend crucial regulatory programmes, such as Call to Bar ceremonies.
Reflecting on the project’s genesis, FCT Minister Barrister Nyesom Wike revealed that the request for the annex was made by the immediate past Chairman of the Body of Benchers, Asiwaju Solomon Awomolo.
He said although the FCT’s statutory budget had been passed at the time, President Tinubu instructed that it should be included in the FCT’s supplementary budget, which he said was subsequently approved by the National Assembly.
As a Life Bencher himself, the Minister emphasized his commitment to utilizing public office to make a positive impact, announcing that the delegation would immediately proceed to the Nigerian Law School to commission newly completed residential accommodations.
Earlier, the FCT Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, described the new office annex as a major institutional milestone for the legal profession and a symbol of Nigeria’s collective commitment to professional excellence, ethical standards and the advancement of justice.
Dr Mahmoud conveyed profound appreciation to President Tinubu for his unwavering support for institutional renewal and national development under the Renewed Hope Agenda, while also thanking the FCT Minister for what she described as his visionary leadership and steadfast commitment to infrastructural development across the nation’s capital.
Providing the technical specifications of the project, the Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Engr. Richard Yunana Dauda, explained that the newly commissioned Office Annex is located on Plot 688 within the Institutional and Research District of the and was specifically engineered to support the Body of Benchers in its regulatory mandate.
He said the complex comprises a main block spread across two suspended floors, fully furnished, featuring a modern conference hall and premium lounge facilities as well as a recreation block equipped with sporting and recreational facilities for members.
Representing the contractor, Tobacat Nigeria Ltd, the Project Manager, Engr. Hun Emmanuel, thanked the FCTA for the opportunity to contribute toward the modernization of the nation's capital.
A major highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of a special appreciation plaque to the FCT Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike, by the Body of Benchers, in recognition of his extraordinary assistance and commitment to the advancement of the legal profession in Nigeria
More Pictures and Captions
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| L-R: Ambassador OCJ Okocha (SAN) Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban Menseh, former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, FCT Minister, Barr Nyesom Wike, Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere Ekun, and the Chairman Body of Benchers, HRM Albert Akpomudje (SAN) as the Body of Benchers presented an award to the the FCT Minister during the commissioning of the newly completed Body of Benchers Annex office in Abuja on Monday |
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| The newly constructed Body of Benchers office annex, in the Institutions and Research District, Abuja, commissioned on Monday |
DEPUTY DIRECTOR, PRESS
OFFICE OF THE HON MINISTER
FCTA/ODP/PR/873
06/07/2026
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