Obasanjo rejects tribunal rulings, says it’s totally unacceptable for three judges to sit, overturn decision of millions of Nigerians electorates
He highlighted the recent dismissals of governors Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State, Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State, and Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State by the Court of Appeal as contentious instances that sparked public disapproval, especially from opposition parties.
Obasanjo rejects tribunal rulings, says it’s totally unacceptable for three judges to sit, overturn decision of millions of Nigerians electorates
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo voiced strong opposition to recent judicial rulings overturning the mandates of elected officials, asserting that the decisions of a handful of judges should not override the choices made by millions of voters in Nigeria’s elections.
During a high-level consultation on Rethinking Western Liberal Democracy in Africa at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Obasanjo criticized the powers wielded by a small number of judges in annulling the decisions of the populace.
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He highlighted the recent dismissals of governors Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State, Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State, and Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State by the Court of Appeal as contentious instances that sparked public disapproval, especially from opposition parties.
The former President strongly opposed what he referred to as “cathedral pronouncements” by a minority of judges, stressing that the judgments made by three to five individuals should not hold sway over the will of millions who participated in the electoral process.
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He questioned the validity of a system where a handful of judges could nullify the outcomes decided by millions of voters, underscoring the inherent imbalance in such a scenario.
Expressing his dismay at the prospect of a small judicial panel making final decisions that supersede the collective will of the electorate, Obasanjo urged a reevaluation of mechanisms to address this issue within the democratic framework.
He pondered over possible solutions, highlighting the complexity of the situation, especially concerning the repetition of elections and the implications for previous voting exercises.
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Obasanjo’s firm stance against the disproportionate authority of a limited number of judges resonates within the ongoing discourse on the integrity of electoral mandates and the judiciary’s role in upholding the people’s choices in a democratic society.
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