Former Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has slammed the Nigerian judiciary, describing it as the biggest danger to democracy in the country.
News About Nigeria reports that Obi made this statement at the fifth memorial of late Justice Anthony Aniagolu at the Godfrey Okoye University, Enugu.
According to Obi, the judiciary has declined significantly, posing a significant threat to Nigeria’s future.
He lamented that justice is now “commodified” and delivered in favor of the highest bidder. Obi emphasized that the judiciary is the backbone of the country’s democracy, and its decline has far-reaching consequences.
“While the judiciary still boasts of a few outstanding judges, there is an undeniable decline in our judicial system. This decline poses a significant threat to the future of Nigeria,” Obi said.
“Whenever democracy is discussed, fingers point to 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.”
Obi also spoke about the importance of the rule of law, saying that when it is compromised, the most vulnerable members of society are disproportionately affected. He emphasized the need to prioritize the pursuit of justice above all else and to safeguard the independence of the judiciary.
“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 prioritize the pursuit of justice above all else,” Obi said.
“I emphasized 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.”
Recall that Peter Obi, lost the 2023 Nigerian general election, lost the election to the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu.
According to the official results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Tinubu won the election with 8,794,726 votes, while Obi came second with 6,101,533 votes.
Obi and his party, however, disputed the results, alleging widespread rigging and electoral malpractices. They filed a petition with the Presidential Election Tribunal, seeking to overturn the results and declare Obi the winner.
The tribunal, however, ruled in favour of Tinubu, dismissing Obi’s petition and affirming Tinubu’s victory.
Obi and his party appealed the decision to the Supreme Court, which also ruled on favour of Tinubu and the APC.
