The book, Demonstration of Craze: Struggles and Transition to Democracy in Nigeria” by Abdul Oroh, is a 614-page effort segmented into 30 chapters, with an estimated word count of three hundred thousand (300,000).  It is above average in volume and spans multiple nonfiction genres, including autobiography, history, politics, philosophy, sociology, and, in some places, religion, with a few auto-transcendental reflections, such as "voodooism." From his account, it took him about four years to accomplish, crossing countries to find serenity, talking and meeting with editors for second and third opinions, and more, as well as combing archives for supporting materials. It has become a compendium, likely his most significant volume on Earth. It is not the type that can be done repeatedly. Nevertheless, it is worth it, after all. 

Hon. Oroh began in the early chapters by transporting readers to his initial years, his roots and routes, presenting his ancestry in the manner in which you are likely to ask little or no question about Ubiaro, his place of birth, his parentage, family and the overarching picture of the former Bendel state, now Edo and Delta states. He moved on to the neighbouring chapter to demonstrate his promise as a young person, his potential for agitation and the signposts of restlessness.  

Courage, conviction, tenacity, and adventure were also in evidence, and at the age of 17, as on Page 16, he thought he was old enough to engage in adult fantasies and indulgences. Hon. Oroh is also lavish in his penetrating analysis of the evolution of Nigerian politics, weaving this with economic and sociological antecedents, as well as the nation's experiences with friction, conflict, and war. In what he argued reflects the nation's multi-ethnicity, the struggle for consensus, and the continuing challenges of growth and development, he is imbued with hope if efforts are made to fit the pieces in the right places in the jigsaw.  

Moving into the trenches from the newsroom, the author exemplified the quintessential writer and investigative journalist in him, summarising his outstanding travels in this field as a professional. His exploits at The African Guardian were prominent, especially in his newsbreaks, phenomenal interviews, and leadership in news analysis. The change agency within him as a journalist made his detour into the trenches seamless.  He was not alone in the dugouts, as in journalism. He had good companies, excellent mentors and beacons on whose trainings he also became. In the trenches, too, he powered on with a libertarian spirit, trusting in human rights and the dignity of the citizen and committing to struggling against violations.  

Operating alongside others on the pedestal of the foremost Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), the writer detailed their fights, revealing the salutary paths of legends like Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), Ayo Obe, Chima Ubani, Chidi Odin Kalu, and a host of other important figures. Hon. Oroh was not done as the book progresses. He is praiseful of freedom, emancipation and the rights of citizens, showcasing in a telling and compelling narrative how the military impostors violated these. 

Many were the stories of monitoring their activities, arrests, detentions without trial, escapes, and assassinations, including those of Dele Giwa of the defunct News Watch magazine. His paths, those of CLO and its leadership, as well as those of journalists and advocacy newspapers, including the efforts of other civil society organisations (CSOs), were effortlessly recounted, considering his first-person participant-observatory and sometimes ethnographic depiction of what transpired in those days.  

Expectedly, he was not silent on the June 12, 1993, presidential election, a pivotal event that triggered protests and challenged those who sought to maintain the status quo. He thought the military took a Machiavellian advantage of the system, deploying brute force to infringe on citizens' rights. He fought. They fought. They were arrested. Some died in the process. Others escaped. Some others were jailed. Some lived through it, ironically profiting from an emergent prominence. 

A few others remained undaunted and are still as principled as they once were. The narratives are as clear as crystal, ceasing the reader's imagination to no end and erasing further curiosity about what happened then. The authors' prison experiences were predictably detailed from one centre to another, from one supervising agency to another, and then to a narrative of the state of detention facilities.  

Terrible. Unimaginable. Dehumanising. Reductionist and unfair. He woke up every day wondering if he would ever come out alive. What would become of his wife, Oseme, who was still all over him in detention and their newborns? Eventually, the man managed to come out as a free man. Halleluiah!  Hon. Oroh was aware of the local and global dimensions of their struggles for freedom, as well as the support and clamour for their liberty. The consciousness was therapeutic, leading to a consequential detailing of the internal and external calls. The binary may not have resulted in his immediate freedom, but it added to his argument that they should emerge alive.  

While the Fela Anikulapo-Kuti rebel philosophies are an obvious subtext in the title of the book, the ideas of the fabulous singer kept resurfacing in the body of the work, particularly in the build-up to democratisation under Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd)'s transitional administration. To the author, it was an "Army Arrangement", even though saluted as a breath of fresh air. 

He revealed his knowledge of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and aspects of his administration. From the stability, the promise of sustainability, and the third-term challenge, the writer presented the leader as a man of many parts, with the capacity to be either gung-ho or peaceful. He had begun the book from home, went on an intellectual excursion elsewhere, and started returning home to his state of origin, dwelling on processes and personalities in the closing chapters.  

Here, the rise and rise of Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole were palpable, including an exploration of his administration, his feats and memorable styles, and the author's role as a commissioner. Hon. Oroh did not just document his understanding of that administration but dwelled on the condition and potential of the state. Consequently, look no further if you want a patriotic citizen of a state. Envisioned in all these is his experience as a member of the House of Representatives, where he participated and witnessed politics, politricks, reward, compensation, loyalty, betrayals, manoeuvres, and horse-trading - away from the newsroom and activism.  

No doubt his "Magnum Opus", but like all such works, it has not come without a few limitations. First, before he became a representative in the National Assembly, all the cars Hon. Oroh rode had been tokunbo. His first official car as a representative was a brand-new Peugeot 406. I was waiting to see this in the book, but I did not. Second, Hon. Oroh's middle region (or stomach) protrudes easily, just like mine. He was not specific about how the exercise he did in prison caused the protrusion to recede inward, allowing him to pass for a model immediately after his release. 

Aside from these two jocular points and some permissible writing idiosyncrasies, the book is an excellent product of a hardworking, dutiful and conscientious citizen whose life has been painstakingly dedicated to the common good. Whichever side you belong to, Hon. Oroh passes as an enigmatic nation builder, a courageous advocate for justice and fairness, a journalist, lawyer, activist, and politician whose legacy will not be forgotten in a hurry.  

This book is undoubtedly suitable for both academic and general reading in the fields of activism, law, history, political science, and sociology, as well as for a secular understanding of a particular era in Nigeria. It is therefore highly recommended for one and all. Congratulations, Hon. Oroh.

Adeniyi is a professor of communication and registrar at Baze University, Abuja. 

A former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasiru El-rufai has querried the current leadership structure in Nigeria, noting that the country has been taken over by urban bandits.

El-rufai made the disclosure in Abuja on Saturday at the 60th birthday lecture of the former Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, with the theme “Weaponization of Poverty in Nigeria.”

He said, “Nigeria is in its biggest trouble since 1914 and that is why we are together working and conspiring to build a coalition to take Nigeria back on track because it is off track.

“It has turned to this level because we have allowed bandits, not the ones in the bushes but the ones in the urban areas called the urban bandits to take over leadership.

“I believe that the problem that we have, which I think (former) Governor Babangida referred to, is that we just get incompetent people and we hand over leadership to them. Most of them don’t really know what to do. They just know how to grab power but don’t know what to do with it.”

He said Nigerians must stand up and vote leaders that have the competence, capability, capacity and commitment to move the country forward.

[DailyTrust]

Four days after the devastating flood that swept through Tiffin Maza and Anguwan Hausawa communities in Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State, residents are still frantically searching for bodies of their loved ones to ensure they are given a proper burial.

DAILY POST reports that official figures have already put the death toll at 151, with more than 100 others still missing

The magnitude and suddenness of the disaster shocked the community to its core and left 50 houses destroyed, about 3,018 persons homeless, with many of those affected currently taking refuge at the Mokwa Central Primary School provided by the local government.

The disaster, according to the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) was triggered by a downpour that lasted several hours, causing homes to be submerged and buildings to collapse.

In an update on Saturday, Niger State Government disclosed that the death toll from the flood had risen from initial 21 on Thursday to 151.

According to the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), in a statement by its Director General, Abdullahi Baba Arah, the disaster has also resulted in 11 people sustaining various levels of injuries, 3,018 persons displaced, and 50 households destroyed.

NSEMA also said 265 houses were affected across three communities, two roads washed away, as well as two bridges destroyed

Earlier, Baba-Arah during a visit to the area said the Agency received a report of a deadly flood disaster that ravaged two communities, Tiffin Maza and Anguwan Hausawa, in Mokwa town, Mokwa LGA last Thursday.

According to him, “In response, the agency in collaboration with Mokwa local government saw that this flood is beyond our imagination.

“We have never witnessed anything like this before. The people affected are the poorest of the poor, many with large families.

“Even Islamic scholars reside in the affected areas. The corpses of the almajiri haven’t been counted yet because we still don’t have a record of their number.

“We are talking about a large number of people who died. This is not a small area where you can easily count the number of corpses,” he said.

He emphasized that so far, he had personally counted over 40 corpses buried on Friday.

“Even today alone, we discovered more than five. There are still corpses trapped under collapsed buildings,” he stated.

However, eyewitness accounts gave a painful scenario of the development, stating that more than 200 corpses were buried on Friday alone, while many more are still unaccounted for.

This position contradicts NSEMA’s account of recovering 151 bodies on Saturday.

However, they noted that while the road to recovery will be long, their immediate priority remains saving lives and ensuring the dead receive a proper burial.

One of the grieving residents, Alhaji Belle Ibrahim, who lost his entire family in the flood.said, “I am still searching for their remains to give them a proper burial”.

The victim narrated how the floodwaters surged into their home while they were sleeping.

He said in tears, “This is the worst tragedy I have seen in over 35 years of living in Unguwan Hausawa.”

Musa Adamu explained that families are desperately combing through debris and floodwaters with hope of finding their missing loved ones.

According to him, “The exact number of casualties remains uncertain as we are still searching for the bodies of our relatives.”

Hauwa Kudu, a journalist based in Minna, whose relatives live in Tiffin Maza community told our correspondent that, “my auntie’s four children are still not yet found. My auntie was found and buried last night (Friday). My family is still searching for them.”

She further explained that the auntie’s co-wife survived with two out of her four children, while the other two are still missing just as their husband survived because he did not sleep at home on the day of the disaster.

Abdul Ibrahim, said, “We woke up in the morning preparing to go to the farm, when suddenly our house was submerged by flood; we cannot say where it came from.

“The floodwater submerged our house, causing the structure to collapse. We lost our relatives, including children, women and men. It’s so heartbreaking for us.”

Some residents further revealed that the floodwater began rushing in around 6 am on Thursday and before long, overwhelmed Unguwan Hausawa, while most people were still asleep.

The flood was also said to had blocked Tatabu Bridge in Mokea area, which links the North to the South-West, leading to a major traffic gridlock.

The development left motorists heading to Lagos and other southern parts and those heading to the northern part of Nigeria stranded for several hours.

It took the intervention of local authorities in the area who deployed graders to clear the road and restore movement for travellers.

Also, in an interview with the leader of the Hausa community, Mal Tanko Bala, he told DAILY POST that they woke up on Thursday at 7:10 am to a strong floodwater that hit their communities.

“As it is now, we cannot ascertained the number of lives affected.

“We have so far buried over 100 and those we are still searching for are more than 100.

“We have cases where out of a family of 40 only two survived, we are still searching for 38. We had a family of 12- all gone, a family of 10 cannot be accounted for. These persons are still missing and we are still searching for them,” he lamented.

The community leader called on governments to come to the aid of the people who have lost their relatives and homes in the affected communities.

“We have lost lives, property and many more to this flood. We are disturbed and calling on the government at all levels to look into our plights,” he stated.

Niger State Deputy Governor, Comrade Yakubu Garba during an on-the-spot visit with his team on Friday confirmed that search and rescue operations were ongoing, and that the state government was working round the clock to provide relief materials to the victims.

He called on members of the community to be patient and remain strong in faith as they face the devastating loss.

The Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs. Zubaida Umar, stated that officials were on ground coordinating the response efforts.

She explained that many families have been severely impacted, with some losing multiple members.

Also, leading a federal government delegation on a sympathy visit to the state, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris said President Ahmed Bola Tinubu had been fully briefed on the disaster and was deeply concerned about the loss of lives.

Idris disclosed that the President had directed that all available resources of the Federal Government be deployed to address the situation and that efforts were being made to avert or mitigate the recurring flood disasters in the country.

The Minister also revealed that the National Orientation Agency has been directed to carry out sensitisation campaigns to ensure that people avoid living around river banks.

Malagi also commended the State and other relevant agencies that are assisting in the search operations, saying, “the Federal Government is collaborating to ensure a seamless operation.”

“The immediate priority of the Federal Government is to save lives and provide urgent relief to survivors through NEMA which is ongoing,” he stated.

The Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatdo, who is also part of the delegation, pledged to review the situation on the needed areas of support to the IDPs and migrants in order to meet their needs.

Responding, the Deputy Governor, Comrade Yakubu Garba on behalf of Governor Mohammed Umar Bago stated that efforts were being intensified to ensure the construction of stem water drainage in Mokwa and Mashegu council areas.

The Governor pleaded with the federal government for intervention in the areas of temporary camp and taking assessments of the communities in order to proffer solutions to the menace.

Garba disclosed that the state government had approved for distribution 6,000 bags of rice and other essential materials to cushion the effects of the disaster on the victims.

The situation currently remains dire, with many corpses still trapped under collapsed buildings and especially a large number of almajiri (Quranic school pupils) unaccounted for, even as the government and emergency responders are working tirelessly.

[DailyPost]

The Lagos state Chairperson of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Mrs. Funmi Sessy has advocated a shift from aggressive unionism to strategic engagements.

She said this during the 2-day capacity-building workshop for executive members of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), Lagos Chapter.

Held at the Lagos State Assembly premises, the event themed: ‘The Role of Unionism in a Political Environment,’ had many dignitaries in attendance such as Mrs. Adenike Oshinowo, Deputy Clerk; Mrs. Kemi Quadri, Director of Finance; Princess Jumoke Sotonwa, Director of Training and Mrs Branco Adekoya Abisola , Director of Public Affairs.

She urged continued training and capacity-building initiatives to keep PASAN members aligned with their counterparts across the state.

Chairman of the association, Mr. Babatunde Ogunlana, stressed the need for executive members to fully understand their responsibilities within a political setting. He pointed out the significance of revisiting the union’s involvement in the events of January 13 at the assembly, noting that it serves as a backdrop for the workshop.

[TheNation]

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has filed a lawsuit against the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited over the failure to account for and explain the whereabouts of N500bn. It claimed that the NNPCL failed to remit the amount to the Federation Account between October 2024 and December 2024.

In a statement signed by SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, on Sunday, the suit followed the recent allegations by the World Bank that out of the N1.1 trillion revenue from crude sales and other income in 2024, maintaining that the NNPCL only remitted N600bn, leaving a deficit of N500bn unaccounted for.

“In response to SERAP’s Freedom of Information (FoI) request, the NNPCL had claimed through its lawyers Afe Babalola and Co that the FoI Act does not apply to it.

But in the suit number FHC/L/MSC/553/2025 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Lagos, SERAP is seeking: “an order of mandamus to direct and compel the NNPCL to account for the alleged missing N500 billion, which it allegedly failed to remit to the Federation Account between October 2024 and December 2024,” the statement read.

SERAP said it is also seeking the court to “direct and compel the NNPCL to invite appropriate anticorruption agencies to investigate the spending and whereabouts of the said N500 billion and to ensure the prompt recovery and remittance of the money to the Federation Account.

“SERAP is also asking the court to ‘direct and compel the NNPCL to identify those suspected to be responsible for the alleged missing oil funds, surcharge them for the full amount involved, and hand them over to appropriate anticorruption agencies for investigation and prosecution.”

In the suit, SERAP is arguing that: “The NNPCL has a responsibility to comply with the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended], the Freedom of Information Act, and the country’s international human rights and anticorruption obligations in the exercise of its statutory functions.

“SERAP is also arguing that, “The missing oil revenues have further damaged the already precarious economy in the country and contributed to high levels of deficit spending by the government and the country’s crippling debt crisis.”

According to SERAP,  the missing oil revenue reflects a failure of NNPCL’s accountability more generally and is directly linked to the institution’s continuing failure to uphold the principles of transparency and accountability.

“SERAP is also arguing that, “the Supreme Court in a groundbreaking judgment recently declared that the Freedom of Information Act is applicable and applies to the public records in the Federation, including those kept by the NNPCL.”

“The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare, Ms Oluwakemi Oni, and Ms Valentina Adegoke, read in part: “Nigerians continue to bear the brunt of these missing public funds from the NNPCL meant for the economic development of the country.

“There is a legitimate public interest in providing the details sought. The NNPC has a legal responsibility to account for and explain the whereabouts of the missing oil money.”

SERAP pointed out that the country’s oil wealth ought to be used solely for the benefit of the Nigerian people, and the sake of the present and future generations, saying that without the full recovery and remittance of the missing N500 billion oil revenues, the dire economic situation may worsen and Nigerians will continue to be denied access to basic public goods and services.

“Nigerians have the right to know why the NNPCL failed to remit the subsidy removal savings to the Federation Account, and why the NNPCL is deliberately denying states and local governments their allocations from the Account, contrary to the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution.

“The failure by the NNPCL to remit the money to the Federation Account is a grave violation of the public trust and the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution, national anticorruption laws, and the country’s anticorruption obligations.

“Despite the country’s enormous oil wealth, ordinary Nigerians have derived very little benefit from oil money primarily because of widespread grand corruption, and the entrenched culture of impunity of perpetrators.

“Combating the corruption epidemic in the oil sector would alleviate poverty, improve access of Nigerians to basic public goods and services, and enhance the ability of the government to meet its human rights and anti-corruption obligations.”

The statement noted that the Nigerian Constitution, Freedom of Information Act, and the country’s anti-corruption and human rights obligations rest on the principle that citizens should have access to information regarding the spending of their commonwealth.

“The Auditor-General of the Federation and Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative have for many years documented reports of the disappearance of oil money from the NNPCL.

“The World Bank recently disclosed that out of the N1.1tn revenue from crude sales and other income in 2024, the NNPC only remitted N600bn, leaving a deficit of N500bn unaccounted for.

“The revenue and other income were expected to be paid into the Federation Account and shared by all levels of government, but the NNPCL reportedly failed to do so.

“SERAP notes that Section 15(5) of the Nigerian Constitution requires public institutions to abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power. Section 13 of the Nigerian Constitution imposes clear responsibility on the NNPCL to conform to, observe,  and apply the provisions of Chapter 2 of the Constitution.”

SERAP added that Nigeria has made legally binding commitments under the UN Convention against Corruption to ensure accountability in the management of public resources, stressing that articles 5 and 9 of the UN Convention against Corruption also impose legal obligations on the NNPCL to ensure proper management of public affairs and public funds.

“These commitments ought to be fully upheld and respected.

“The missing oil revenue has also impeded Nigerians’ ability to enjoy their economic and social rights, and denied them access to essential public goods and services, especially at the time of the cost of living crisis in the country.

“Had the NNPCL accounted for and remitted the alleged missing N500 billion to the Federation Account, it is likely that more funds would have been allocated to the fulfillment of economic and social rights, such as increased spending on public goods and services.

“The Freedom of Information Act, Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution, article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights guarantee to everyone the right to information on the whereabouts of the missing N500 billion of oil revenue. No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.”

Exactly three (3) weeks ago, that is, Sunday May 11, 2025, this column predicted that “Nigeria’s judiciary was set to rescue itself.” The article made several fundamental points. First, that Chief Justice Kudirat Kekere Ekun had chosen to depart from the course of timidity to which her predecessors had put themselves. Oh yes; rather than following the subsisting strategy of circumlocution, Kekere-Ekun led the National Judicial Council to sanction judges that had been engaged in judicial misconduct. Second, that certain Kano cases which had recently turned the spotlight on the judiciary needed to be urgently concluded. It was as if the Court of Appeal in Abuja had us in mind when some 48 hours ago, it did the needful by throwing judicial rascality under the bus in Kano – a development that has reverberated nationwide!

According to media reports, the Court of Appeal reversed the October 22, 2024 judgment given by a Federal High Court in Kano voiding the composition of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KASIEC) and the local government election it conducted on October 26, 2024. In three unanimous judgments, a three-member panel, presided over by Justice Biobele Abraham Georgewill, held that the Federal High Court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain cases bordering on the composition of states’ electoral bodies and the qualification of members of such bodies.The Appeal Court Justices were convinced that the primary claims of the plaintiffs at the Federal High Court, were outside the jurisdictional competence of the said Court. Indeed, it was held that the same Federal High Court lacked the jurisdiction to interpret Section 4 of the KANSIEC Law 2001 as it did.

A major gain from the ruling of the Appeal Court is its capacity to put an end to political lawlessness in Nigeria. To start with, our political class has been behaving as if the federal high courts were established to help federal politicians destabilize state politicians especially in states where the ruling party is different from the ruling party at the federal level. Before now, state governors were perceived to be manipulating the state high courts as most cases there were usually resolved in the favour of state governments. Perhaps that explains why their federal counterparts quickly took control of the federal high courts and started to divert cases there. This played out quite well last year in Kano state where the state and federal high courts gave conflicting rulings on the same case; thus, creating two Emirs for the historic city to the embarrassment of the nation.

One can only hope that a quick resolution of any such conflict is immediately followed by a prompt sanctioning of the offending courtso as to prevent a continuation of the embarrassment. The old idea that it is in order for cases in court to be allowed to drag on through unnecessary adjournments has only institutionalized the bad stance. If that approach is halted quickly, many litigants especially politicians would be stopped from congesting our courts with mundane issues. The judiciary needs to be consistent with its rulings in order to help the nation get proper political parties. As at today, many administrative functions of political parties are performed on their behalf by some judges. Why will a political party that has been unable to perform the functions provided for by its own constitution be allowed to bring issues arising from such negligence before the judiciary?

The Nigerian experience has been one in which politicians that have held no party congresses or conventions for years are seen fighting over party offices with claims and counter claims filed in different courts. The way forward is to shut down such political party cases which are purely on management issues that are internal to the parties concerned.It is heartwarming that the Supreme Court recently placed a hammer on cases which concern purely internal matters that political party organs are mandated to handle. Therefore, no court should continue to entertain cases by persons such as the case of the Labour Party where those fighting for offices are relying on tenures that have long expired.The judiciary should similarly bar all courts from directing electoral commissions to accept or reject factions of political parties.

One of the greatest problems facing Nigeria today is political impunity in which certain well-placed individuals are allowed to do and undo. The judiciary is the arm of government that is best positioned to resolve the problem from which it should no longer abdicate. The moment a political party or its organ or indeed any organ of government takes the law into its hands, the judiciary should promptly halt it. We cannot justify our system which prioritizes political matters such as election petitions while at the same time treating other political matters differently. It is the fact that other political matters are allowed to drag for so long that all our courts are brazenly congested. As soon as it becomes obvious that political matters are expeditiously handled, those who use courts to sustain their illegal positions will lose their hitherto lucrative market.

The judiciary can also save itself from further embarrassments if it puts its house in order. A major advantage to that arm of government from the latest Appeal Court ruling is that the bad eggs in the system are now being unveiled and are getting quite visible. The NJC must not allow them in the system through the process of looking for soft landing. Many Nigerians fondly remember Justices Mohammed Bello, Kayode Eso, Lawal Uwais, Otutu Obaseki, Chukwudifu Oputa, Adolphus Karibi Whyte etc for their courage and meritorious performances. Many more judges will sooner or later become as famous if we do not return to the lethargy of the immediate past. Accordingly, Nigerians may soon begin to get familiarized with erudite Justices such as Biobele Abraham Georgewill, Abubakar Mahmud Talba and Oyejoju Oyebiola Oyewumi of the Court of Appeal who stood firm last week. 

If the judiciary remains upright, irritating episodes such as the executive and legislative arms colluding to remove state chief judges they are unable to manipulate will not only stop, judges will suddenly return to their well-respected positions. But if the bad eggs remain protected, many more wrong hands will be brought in to supersede the righteous. Once such misfits are allowed to lead, the story of the Nigerian judiciary will remain that of an arm of government whose allocations are being used by others to build houses and procure vehicles for the “orphan-judges.” There is therefore no better time than now for the judiciary to maintain a positive shine on judges with integrity especially those that are overworked using analogue facilities. At the same time, there should be no hiding place for the bad eggs in the system who are not only few but who have for long sustained a bad reputation for the entire judiciary.  

This article must also necessarily draw attention to the numerous issues that are still being swept under the carpet in Nigeria. The Kano local election matters like all other political issues have their other sides. Whether at state or federal levels, we are all aware that we run a system which pretends to be unaware of several partisan electoral referees that are wrongly embedded in our so called independent electoral commissions. Such unacceptable compositions ought to be rejected by the courts but such courts must not be those with defective jurisdictions that are designed to be fault-finding. The best way the judiciary can be of help hereis to part ways with its friends and relations in the political parties that are used to throw mud on the judiciary.

We honestly look forward to when our courts will courageously stop electoral malpractices and assist the nation to always do what is right, fair and just in our leadership recruitment process.The judiciary must stop helping to assist politicians and INEC to cover up poorly conducted elections. In 2007, former President Umaru Yar’Adua who was declared winner of the presidential election of that year testified that the election was bad but some judges in our highest court still gave victory to Yar’Adua thereby crying more than the bereaved. If some such old cases have put on us an indelible negative tar, the Supreme Court which is allowed to reverse itself can clean the ‘Augean’ stable by reversing some of its decisions. Such a patriotic posture will get as much bravo as we extend today to the Court of Appeal that has chosen to hold the bull by its horn.