•Bode George
Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, has called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) to protect the independence, integrity and credibility of the Nigerian judiciary, expressing concern over a recent court judgment arising from the party’s leadership crisis.
George made the call yesterday while addressing journalists at his Ikoyi, Lagos office, where he disclosed that he had written an open letter to the Chairman of the NJC, urging the council to safeguard the sanctity and independence of the judiciary.
Reading excerpts from the letter, the elder statesman said he was compelled to speak as a concerned citizen, democrat and member of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), following developments that, according to him, have raised serious questions about public confidence in the administration of justice and the role of the courts in protecting constitutional democracy.
He explained that the suit before the court was instituted by the PDP Board of Trustees to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to comply with existing judgments of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and Federal High Court by updating its records to reflect what he described as the authentic leadership of the party under Chief Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN).
According to George, rather than determining the constitutional questions raised in the suit, including whether INEC was legally bound to implement the subsisting judgments, the court dismissed the case as a waste of judicial time.
He also expressed concern over the court’s decision to award costs of N140 million against the PDP Board of Trustees and an additional N10 million against its counsel.
Describing the judgment as troubling, George argued that the issues before the court transcended the PDP’s internal affairs and touched on broader principles of constitutional governance and the rule of law.
He maintained that judgments of the Supreme Court and other superior courts remain binding on all authorities until they are set aside by a court of competent jurisdiction, insisting that no administrative body has the legal authority to ignore such decisions.
The PDP chieftain, who is also the Atona Oodua of Yorubaland, also criticised the reported expulsion of senior members of the party by the faction loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Describing the action as illogical and inconsistent with the party’s structure, George said: “It is the greatest joke in the civilised international community today. Morally and ethically, is it possible for a child to expel a father from his house whilst the father is still alive?”
He warned that the judiciary occupies a unique position as the guardian of the Constitution and the rule of law, stressing that any perception of political interference or constitutional inconsistency in judicial decisions could undermine public confidence in the courts.
“History will not judge this moment by the silence of those entrusted with the administration of justice, but by whether they rose courageously to defend the Constitution when it mattered most. The integrity of the Judiciary is not negotiable; it is the lifeblood of the Nigerian Republic,” he said.
George added that the judiciary would remain “the last hope of the common man” only if Nigerians continued to believe that justice was administered strictly according to the law, guided by the Constitution and free from political influence.
He therefore urged the NJC to discharge its constitutional responsibilities with courage, impartiality and firmness.
“In doing so, the Council will not only preserve the honour of the Bench but also reaffirm the confidence of the Nigerian people that justice in our country remains blind to political pressure and faithful only to the Constitution and the rule of law,” he said.
