LAGOS State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said on Wednesday that his administration would strive to preserve the sanctity of judiciary, for it to be independent and uphold the rule of law.

The governor, who spoke when he hosted the delegation of justices of the courts of appeal led by their President, Zainab Bulkachuwa, at the Lagos House, Marina, hailed the retiring President of the Court of Appeal for the great service she had rendered to the nation and the judiciary.

He also thanked her for the support she had given to the Lagos State Division of the Court of Appeal.

Sanwo-Olu said his administration would operate within the ambits of the law to ensure efficient justice delivery, adding: “We will ensure that the judiciary is an independent arm of the government that will continue to lead all of us in the executive arm of the government.

“We will continue to uphold the tenets of judiciary and uphold the constitution that we swore to. We will continue to protect it, defend it in our ways and in our beats. I assure you that the government in Lagos State is committed and will continue to operate within the ambit of the law because we do not want to stand in front of any one of you.”

Justice Bulkachuwa had said: “We are in Lagos, Your Excellency, for a valedictory court session for my retirement. From March 6, I would have attained 70 years, which is the compulsory retiring age as required by the constitution. From that date I will seize to hold office as a judicial officer.

“So, as part of my programmes marking my exit from the Court of Appeal, I went round most of the divisions of the Court of Appeal. Although I have not been to all the 20, Lagos is an important division of the Court of Appeal, and I thought I should come first to Lagos and that is why we are here. We will be having the valedictory court session later in the day.”

Justice Bulkachuwa, who described Lagos as the first and one of the important divisions of the Court of Appeal, promised to continue to advocate issues upholding the rights of the girl-child.