Mr. Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, in the February 25 presidential election, has urged the judiciary not to disappoint the people’s expectation by denying the rich and powerful and a cult of corrupt judiciary operatives the opportunity of destroying Nigeria and her nascent democracy in cahoots with their accomplices among powerful politicians.
Obi in a statement through his X restated that political leaders should justify the titles they bear, adding that the judiciary must live up to public expectations through transparent ruling on matters brought before it.
The former Anambra governor said: “It is the judiciary’s role, when called upon, to uphold the honour of the titles through transparent rulings. Only through such judicial interventions can the public be protected from the tyranny of dubious and duplicitous characters and identity fraudsters.
“In such situations, the judiciary has a bounding duty to protect society’s value system. This is one of the obligations of an impartial judiciary in a democracy.
“However, when the fairness of the judiciary is not assured, and the transparency of judiciary operatives is uncertain, the rule of law will come under severe threat. Once ordinary people lose faith in the fairness of the judiciary, the rule of law is threatened.
“With it, faith in democracy comes under threat as well. A society is endangered when the rule of the powerful and the rule of the rich and the mighty replaces the rule of law. When that happens, justice becomes a commodity to be traded between the rich and powerful and a cult of corrupt judiciary operatives.”
Obi and his counterpart, Attiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had challenged the declaration of Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congres, APC, as winner of the presidential election. Both lost at the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal, PEPT, but appealed to the Supreme Court, which is expected to give its verdict soon.
“In such situations, the judiciary has a bounding duty to protect society’s value system. This is one of the obligations of an impartial judiciary in a democracy.
“However, when the fairness of the judiciary is not assured, and the transparency of judiciary operatives is uncertain, the rule of law will come under severe threat. Once ordinary people lose faith in the fairness of the judiciary, the rule of law is threatened.
“With it, faith in democracy comes under threat as well. A society is endangered when the rule of the powerful and the rule of the rich and the mighty replaces the rule of law. When that happens, justice becomes a commodity to be traded between the rich and powerful and a cult of corrupt judiciary operatives.”
Obi and his counterpart, Attiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had challenged the declaration of Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congres, APC, as winner of the presidential election. Both lost at the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal, PEPT, but appealed to the Supreme Court, which is expected to give its verdict soon.