The judiciary in the country is currently weak and compromised, says Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate during the 2023 general election.
Mr Obi stated this on Tuesday, during a memorial lecture in honour of Justice Anthony Aniagolu, organised by his family and hosted by Godfrey Okoye University in Enugu State.
He described himself as the highest beneficiary of the judiciary when it had incorruptible judges, a stark departure from today’s reality where judges are compromised by the executive arm of government or the highest bidder.
Delivering a lecture on the topic, “The Judiciary and the Future of Nigeria,” he recalled the legal battles he fought and triumph to become Anambra state governor and serve out his constitutionally allowed two terms of eight years in office.
“I spent three years in court and it was given to me and after few months I was impeached but judiciary restored me to power,” Mr Obi recalled, continuing: “After one year in office, they conducted another election and elected another person.
“But I went to the Supreme Court, where judges, with respect for the rule of law, reinstated me to complete my tenure.
“All these things happened because there were incorruptible and independent judges,” he noted.
The opposition candidate, who challenged the 2023 presidential election up to the Supreme Court but lost his case, said such principled judges are hard to find in present-day Nigeria.
“Our judiciary is weak and compromised by the executive and highest bidder,” the Anambra former governor said. “The future of our society is compromised because the independence of the judiciary has been destroyed.
“We need a strong judiciary to fight criminality. The rule of law is the foundation on which any society survives and develops and the only thing that makes it sacrosanct is the independence of the judiciary. And it is a strong judiciary that makes businesses, investments and democracy thrive.”
Proferring solutions, Mr Obi advocated for the independence of the judiciary and non-interference by the executive, referencing how judges where appointed while he was a state governor.
“As a governor, I never appointed any judge but left the power to the Chief Judge,” he said, adding that: “I bought cars for them but never appointed any judge throughout my tenure.”
He, however, extolled late Aniagolu for his exemplary life, stressing that he served his country and practiced his law in an exemplary manner.