Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, says the judiciary is the biggest threat to the nation’s democracy — and not the electoral umpire.
Obi said this while delivering a keynote speech at the fifth
memorial of late Justice Anthony Aniagolu at the Godfrey Okoye University in
Enugu.
The former Anambra governor said justice in Nigeria “goes to
the highest bidder” and has become “commodified”.
“While the judiciary, today, still boasts of a few
outstanding judges, there is an undeniable decline in our judicial system,” he
said.
“This decline poses a
significant threat to the future of Nigeria. Justice is increasingly
commodified, and delivered in favour of the highest bidder.
“Whenever democracy is discussed, fingers point to the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the problem. But INEC is
not the problem, instead, the judiciary is. The judiciary is the biggest threat
to Nigeria. If our judiciary is effective, our businesses will thrive.
“When the rule of law is compromised, the most vulnerable
members of society are disproportionately affected, and the fabric of our
society begins to fray. The integrity of our institutions, the protection of
human rights, and the stability of our nation are all jeopardised.
“The rule of law is
the highest intangible and most valuable asset of any society, and we must work
tirelessly to protect and preserve it. We must prioritise the pursuit of
justice above all else.
“I emphasised the urgent need to revitalise our judicial
system by safeguarding its independence and promoting the values of character,
competence, capability, compassion, and integrity among our jurists, as well as
within our political leadership.
“By doing so, we can ensure justice and fairness prevail as
we endeavour to build a better Nigeria for all.
“Nigeria has become a country where anything goes. There is
no rule of law, there is almost no judiciary. Everybody could be pushed down
because there is no rule of law.
“Because the
judiciary has become commercialised and depends on how much one pays, it has
become difficult to get true justice in the judiciary.
“At any point in time where the judiciary is not working,
the society suffers.”
Bola Tinubu of the All Progressive Congress (APC) won the
2023 presidential election with 8,794,726 votes; Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) came second with 6,984,520 votes; while Obi polled third
with 6,101,533 votes.
Obi and Abubakar challenged Tinubu’s election all the way to
the supreme court.
On October 26, 2023, the apex court dismissed the appeals of
Abubakar and Obi and affirmed Tinubu as president.
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