National Judicial Institute (NJI) has dismissed as false social media reports alleging that judges who attended the opening ceremony of the 2025 All Nigeria Judges Conference sang a political chorus, ‘On your Mandate We Shall Stand’, in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The head of Information, Media and Public Relations of NJI, Kolade Umoru, described the claims as “misleading, inaccurate, and entirely unfounded”, stressing that no such incident occurred during the ceremony in Abuja.
The Institute explained that judges only rose to their feet out of respect for the Office of the President when he approached the podium, an act of standard protocol, not political allegiance.
According to the institute, the only song rendered collectively by participants at both the beginning and end of the programme was the Nigerian National Anthem. At no time, it said, did any judge chant or sing any political slogan or chorus.
The NJI clarified that the brief musical tune resembling the political chant “On Your Mandate We Shall Stand” was played solely by the Guards Brigade Band as part of its routine ceremonial protocol to usher the President to the podium. The judiciary, it emphasised, had no role in selecting or influencing the band’s musical choices, which fall strictly under military ceremonial procedures.
“To be clear, no judge sang or chanted any political song at any point during the programme,” NJI stated, reaffirming the Judiciary’s non-partisan stance, and stressed that judicial officers remained fully committed to constitutional neutrality and insulated from political activities or symbols.
“The 2025 All Nigeria Judges Conference is a statutory and professional gathering focused on strengthening the justice system and reinforcing public confidence in the judiciary,” the institute said, describing attempts to politicise the event as “unfortunate and a disservice to the public.”
It urged the media and the public to exercise restraint and verify information before circulation to avoid undermining national institutions.
“The Judiciary will continue to uphold its oath of office with dignity, independence, and unwavering fidelity to the Constitution,” it added.
