George Weah, former president of Liberia, has urged Nigerian
lawyers to defend judicial independence and resist attempts by political
leaders to weaken institutions that safeguard democracy.
Weah spoke at the 66th annual conference of the Nigerian Bar
Association (NBA) in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, where he said the strength of
a democracy depends not only on elections but also on the institutions that
restrain the exercise of political power.
The former Liberian president said elections should be seen
as the entry point into democracy, while institutions such as the judiciary and
the legislature provide the safeguards needed to prevent the abuse of power.
“Democracy does not survive on the strength of elections
alone. Elections are the doorway into democracy, not the house itself. What
holds the house up, what keeps the roof from collapsing on the people who live
inside it are institutions, and among the most important of these, in every
serious nation, is an independent judiciary, protected by a fearless,
principled Bar,” he said.
Weah warned that democratic erosion could occur even under
governments that came to power through credible elections, saying elected
leaders could gradually weaken institutions and use them to consolidate
executive authority.
“The danger is not only that soldiers might seize power in
the night, or that a defeated candidate might refuse to leave office. It is
also that a leader who arrives in office through a free and fair election can,
over time and often gradually, begin to govern like the very dictators the
ballot was meant to guard against,” he said.
He said the legitimacy conferred by an electoral mandate
should not give any leader the authority to undermine constitutional safeguards
or interfere with institutions established to check executive power.
“A tyrant with a certificate of return is still a tyrant.
Democracy, properly understood, does not end on election night. It is tested
every single day afterwards, in how power treats the courts and the parliament
that exist to restrain it,” Weah said.
He consequently charged Nigerian lawyers to remain vigilant
in protecting the judiciary and defending the rule of law, describing the NBA
as an important pillar of Nigeria’s democratic system.
“The Nigerian Bar Association is not merely a professional
association negotiating welfare for its members. You are a standing sentinel of
this Republic’s democracy. When the Bar is silent, courts become easier to be
captured. When the Bar speaks with one voice, as guardians of the bench, the
executive branch thinks twice before even dreaming of interference,” he said.
Weah said the rule of law must guarantee equal protection
for all citizens, regardless of their political position, wealth or influence.
He urged lawyers to defend due process and speak out whenever judicial
independence or the rights of citizens are threatened.
He also expressed concern over the resurgence of military
intervention in parts of West Africa since 2020, saying both military takeovers
and the gradual weakening of democratic institutions by elected governments
posed serious threats to democratic governance.
Reflecting on his own experience, Weah recalled that he
conceded Liberia’s 2023 presidential election before the final results were
formally announced, saying he did so because the people’s mandate was more
important than his personal political ambition.
“I chose to concede while the counting was still underway,
because I have always believed, and still believe, that the will of the people
must stand above the ambition of any one man in a democratic setting,” he said.
Weah urged the NBA and other democratic institutions to
continue standing for accountability, peace and credible elections, while
encouraging African countries to address poor governance and other structural
challenges that undermine development.
He said lawyers had a broader responsibility to ensure that
the law remained an instrument for justice, peace, unity and accountability
rather than becoming a tool for political oppression or conflict.
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com