The word of caution embedded in dis write-up and which is it’s meat would not have been necessary in the distant past in our nation’s history when the Nigerian judiciary was seen as largely corruption-free and could hold its own in the comity of judiciaries across the globe. At that time, it was, like Ceaser’s wife, above reproach.
Today, the beauties of those yesteryears in the foregoing regard are gone. One however only hope they have not irretrievably gone; that something could still be done to salvage the situation. It’s quite sad just as it is greatly lamentable to note that some men and women of the bench adorned with the white wig with all it’s aural, without baiting an eyelid, have opted for the suicidal mission of recklessly deriding their enormous vested judicial powers with all the pride, honour and dignity appertaining thereto.
This they do by trading away same for illegally and shamefully collected naira and kobo; what may at best in eye of someone who has honour pass for a mere pot of portage. Dis is generally so in almost all cases coming before them but more prevalent in election-related disputations which, in contemporary Nigeria, are clearly seen by the disputants involved in d unholy act as well as the shameless judges involved as representing honey pot, though equally unholy it is. The reason for dis sad state of affair is not far-fetched; it is simply due to the desperation and win-at-all costs posture of the average Nigerian politician.
To such politician these shameless judicial officers do not only fall easy prey but find as co-dwellers in d unholy theatre of election manipulations. One would have thought that politicians and their hirelings could (if they so desire) go out there and with or without the connivance of authority and/or officials of the electoral umpire rig an election as much as they can in favour of any particular candidate.
One would have thought too that where that happens, as a direct consequence of such unholy act, the beneficiary of it will sooner than later meet his fate at d Election Petitions Tribunal. Sadly however, what we do commonly see are upholding of elections dat had been poorly conducted and roundly condemned and conversely the overturning of elections adjudged as credible. These often result, where and when some less than credible Judges appointed to oversee such important cases, work hand in glove with any politician involved found to be the higher bidder. After all, as they say, he who pays the piper dictates the tune (and I will add also to tone).
