JUDICIARY HAS SUCCUMBED TO PRESSURE FROM POLITICIANS – SALAMI

Former President of Court of Appeal, Justice Isa Ayo Salami today declared that the country's judiciary has succumbed to pressure from politicians.
The situation, he said, had blighted the hope of Nigerians in the capacity of the judiciary to redeem their hope especially in election-related matters.
Salami spoke in Ilorin, Kwara State during a public lecture titled, "Voters Education: Rights, Duties and Responsibilities" organised by Mustapha Akanbi Foundation.
He noted that the seeming intimidation of the judiciary from adjudicating on cases of electoral fraud was one of the reasons for the voters' apathy usually witnessed during elections, saying, "We have problem now in convincing the voters to come and vote. That is why they are not collecting their voters cards".
Stressing that many agencies of the government including the security agencies have dashed the expectations of Nigerians and turned themselves into political party agents, he said the judiciary had equally joined the fray.
He said, "Again the judiciary unfortunately has been intimidated. There is no doubt about it, judiciary has been intimidated. And therefore if you vote and see anything to your vote contrary to your will, do you have any remedy?
"The judiciary for one reason or the other has sort of succumbed to pressure of the power that be. So why do I vote when my vote will not count? In fact, the judiciary in the past had corrected this error but now who is there?
"We have amended the Constitution to suit our way. Now, we have amended the Constitution that the election tribunal must not exceed 180 days. For Kwara State, for instance, we have one election tribunal to handle the governorship petitions; I do not know how many petitions will emanate from that?
"We have the senatorial, House of Representatives and the state Houses of Assembly petitions. Can this tribunal finish all these within 180 days?".
Salami noted that voters' education must include persuading the voters to perform their civic duty, saying, "We should encourage them to perform their own task".
The guest lecture, Dr. Kabir Mato of Political Science Department, University of Abuja said credible election would address the woes of Nigeria and salvage it from the near disintegration.
He urged Nigerians to be wary of politicians deploying minor problems such as region, religion and tribe to divide them, saying eligibility and competence should be the major consideration. "As a Muslim, I will prefer a responsible christian to provide me a leadership than an irresponsible Muslim", he said.
He urged the government, election management body, political parties and other stakeholders to develop and disseminate comprehensive programmes of voters' education.
He said, "Nigerians must actively vote in the coming elections and ensure that their votes not only count but made to count without throwing stones. We must insist that our representatives must be those whom we chose to do so and not those that are placed by the powers that be.
"I pray that Nigerians collectively would realise the consequences of continued failure in our polity and resolve to make their destinies in their own hands".
Former President of Court of Appeal, Justice Mustapha Akanbi who was the organiser of the lecture said the current political tensions ahead of next month election are disturbing and frightening.
"Political gladiators have been spitting fire, and heating the polity as never before. Threats of taking up arms and breaking up Nigeria, if a particular candidate does not win the election rent in the air", he said.
He appealed to all and sundry to see that the 2015 elections "are peaceful, non-violent and fraud-free and those who are now beating the drum of war are put to shame".
Source: Daily Trust