PDP Chieftain Warns of Anarchy if Trust in Judiciary Wanes
Olabode George, a prominent figure in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has raised concerns about the potential for anarchy if Nigerians lose faith in the judiciary.
George’s apprehensions stem from the recent controversy surrounding the Court of Appeal’s verdict on the Kano State governorship election.
The appellate court had invalidated the election of Governor Abba Yusuf and declared Nasir Gawuna, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner.
However, confusion ensued when the Certified True Copy of the judgment initially appeared to affirm Yusuf’s election, later attributed to a clerical error by the appeal court.
Speaking at a press conference in Lagos on Monday, George expressed worry over the diminishing trust in the judiciary, stating, “This system is worrisome because if the people don’t believe in the third arm of government anymore, anarchy looms.”
He highlighted the dangers of what he referred to as “unholy alliances” between politicians and judges, emphasizing their potential threat to democracy.
George criticized instances where judges overturn election results, stating, “Millions of people will come out on the day of the election, queue, collect ballot papers, and cast their votes for their preferred candidates, results will be announced, and everybody will jubilate only for three, five, or seven judges to upturn the popular will of the people.”
George proposed a different approach for the judiciary in political cases, urging them to adjudicate and, in cases of discrepancies, order a rerun without preemptively declaring victory for any party.
He stressed that removing the electorate’s power to choose political leaders and allowing the judiciary to determine winners could undermine Nigeria’s electoral system.
“This is not good for Nigeria. This is not good for our electoral system. A compromised judiciary is dangerous,” George concluded.