News
Politicians Weaponising, Corrupting Judiciary In Nigeria – Odinkalu, CSOs, Others Kick
… Urge citizens to take action
Former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, says the deteriorating integrity of Nigeria’s judiciary is driven by ‘politicization of Judicial appointments, lack of independence, amongst other issues.’
Prof. Odinkalu raised the concern during a radio town hall meeting on Public Sector Integrity in Nigeria, organized by the Progressive Impact Organisation for Community Development, PRIMORG, at the weekend in Abuja.
He said politicians have captured the Judiciary with the independence of the institution gone, stressing that Nigerians must understand that the judiciary has been politically weaponized and corrupted by elites.
The human rights activist insisted that the judiciary was no longer serving the purpose of the masses but politicians and their associates whose children, cronies, and mistresses were getting appointments to the Bench.
His words:” It is not suitable for the Chief Justice of Nigeria to appoint his nephew to the Court of Appeal and his son to the Federal High Court or for the President of the Court of Appeal to appoint her son-in-law to the Bench and her daughter appointed to Plateau State High Court where she comes from. We are looking for the same people to protect us, and something is fundamentally wrong with them and the masses.
“Everyone should understand that the judiciary has been captured, politically weaponized and corrupted.”
Asked if reforms can restore the deteriorating integrity of Nigeria’s judiciary, Odinkalu said:” There are no reforms that will work unless we (Nigerians) deepen the de-politicization of the judiciary. This is because they (politicians) have captured the administrative processes which should have been performed in disciplining the judiciary – the Chief Justice is the owner of that one.
“They’ve captured the politics. The judges and politicians use the executive arm of the government to unseat people they don’t like, putting the ones they like in power. They have also captured the legislative process. The legislators are afraid of the judges,” He stressed.
Prof Odinkalu called on Nigerians to understand the issues and realize their responsibilities, adding that citizens are not as disempowered as they think; hence, the onus is now on the people to go and get back the institution of justice that politicians and elites have captured.
Civil Society organizations and other participants during the town hall meeting spoke extensively on the administration of justice in Nigeria amidst a growing trust deficit.
Emmanuel Bosah, Programme Manager at Integrity Organisation, noted that a lot of political will is needed to cure the rot in the judiciary currently while calling for judicial reforms and citizens to be empowered with the knowledge to follow up and hold the system to account.
A public good advocate and Security and energy Consultant, Kevin Fyneface, called on the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, to come clean with appointments in the judiciary and work towards rebuilding the trust of the third arm of government. He lamented that Nigeria is deeply rooted in nepotism and cronyism, noting that “where cronyism thrives, you will find corruption as the order of the day.”
On his part, a public servant and 2020 Integrity icon, Philip Ezegbulam, advised his colleagues both at the federal and state levels to resist the temptation of corruption, while the Programme Manager of Accountability Lab Nigeria, Ehi Idakwo, urged Nigerians not to be docile but proactive to corruption issues of the nation.
“I think citizens are not angry enough. We need to be angry enough to take action. If everyone takes action in writing a letter, in coming out to the streets to protest, in calling their representatives to know details of what is due the citizens, those are the kinds of actions needed right now,” Ehi posited.
The PRIMORG’s Town Hall Meeting Against Corruption series is aimed at calling the public and government attention to specific issues of corruption in Nigeria.
The syndicated radio program runs with support from the MacArthur Foundation.
News
Musawa Seeks Broader Significance for June 12
Joel Ajayi
The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, Esq., says June 12 must be remembered as a sacrifice that gave Nigerians democracy, beyond its status as a public holiday.
In a statement signed on Saturday by the Senior Assistant Media & Publicity to the Honourable Minister,Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy Dr Nneka Ikem Anibeze Ph.D in Abuja.
Musawa stated this at the national premiere of “MKO”, a film on Chief Moshood Abiola, held at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, Lagos, to mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary.
She said 33 years after June 12, 1993, many young Nigerians know it only as a holiday, but the film turns it back into memory.
“For too many young Nigerians, June 12 is simply a public holiday. This film tells them that our democracy did not arrive by chance. It was fought for. It was defended. It was paid for. This documentary is in honour of the heroes of June 12, the men and women who gave their lives for the mandate of June 12, 1993 and for the democracy Nigeria enjoys today,” the Minister said.
Musawa hailed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Chief Host, for his participation in the June 12 struggle and paying the price in exile, adding that Nigeria’s creative industry will keep telling the story of its democracy with courage.
“Through film and the creative economy, Nigeria will preserve its history. A nation that forgets its past loses its way to the future. Nigeria has a story and our story deserves to be told,” she said.
Earlier, the director of the investigative documentary, Ose Oyamendan, said the film was in honour and memory of heroes who fought for Nigeria’s democracy.
“There was Hope ’93 and now there is Renewed Hope. There was a man who sacrificed his life so we may have democracy and there is a man who almost lost his life fighting for democracy who is now helping build a lasting democracy.
“There was a great man called Bashorun MKO Abiola and there is now another great man called Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Democrats. Nationalists. Nation builders. Leaders of men and women. We must never forget our story. We must always honour and remember our heroes,” Oyamendan said.
Top government officials including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the wife of the President Senator Oluremi Tinubu; Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Chief of Staff to the President Rt. Femi Gbajabiamila, state Governors, members of the National Assembly, Ministers and other distinguished dignitaries attended the premiere.
-
Featured7 years agoLampard Names New Chelsea Manager
-
Featured6 years agoFG To Extends Lockdown In FCT, Lagos Ogun states For 7days
-
Featured7 years agoChildren Custody: Court Adjourns Mike Ezuruonye, Wife’s Case To April 7
-
Featured7 years agoNYSC Dismisses Report Of DG’s Plan To Islamize Benue Orientation Camp
-
Featured5 years agoTransfer Saga: How Mikel Obi Refused to compensate me After I Linked Him Worth $4m Deal In Kuwait SC – Okafor
-
Featured7 years ago
Board urges FG to establish one-stop rehabilitation centres in 6 geopolitical zones
-
Sports4 years ago
TINUBU LAMBAST DELE MOMODU
-
News2 years agoZulu to Super Eagles B team, President Tinubu is happy with you
