•Prof Chidi Odinkalu
A former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Chidi Odinkalu, has alleged that judges are being used by politicians to destroy Nigeria’s democratic system.
He regretted how governors in the country continue to accord priority to donating vehicles to their cronies while being less concerned to the plights of the people that elected them into office.
Speaking on Channels TV yesterday, Odinkalu said politicians have resorted to donating Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) to judges to establish some rapport with them in order to clinch victory at polls, having realised that the votes of the masses don’t count now.
According to the law professor, politicians now tell their opponents to take their grievances to court after a disputed elections as the former is assured of victory.
He said, “In this economy, you buy a V6 or a V8? It’s beyond idiotic and it is aggravating. They (governors) have bought four-wheel drive for senators and members of the House of Representatives. State governors have bought four-wheel drive for their state legislators. They are donating four-wheel drive to the judiciary all over the country.
“We have this outbreak of acquisitive-ness, an epidemic of crass acquisitiveness that is ridiculous. Why do they do all of these? It’s procurement. When they do that, they take more money into their pockets than they actually give away. It’s an excuse to acquire.
“There are no hospitals, there are no schools, there are no roads. And so we have to buy private healthcare overseas. We have to send our children to private schools overseas. We have private helipads and now we have private jets and private airstrips. We have private security also. That is the problem,” he said.
Further speaking, the human rights activist explained that to get out of the present predicament, democratic reforms must start with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the judiciary and anti-corruption agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
He said, “This is why I have settled for INEC and the judiciary. That is where it begins,” he said.
“They have sworn in new judges of the high courts and new justices of the Appeal Court. Did you see the number of state governors who were there? The number of senior politicians who were there?
“Politicians hosting receptions for judges and the judges going because the politicians know that our votes don’t count; what counts is the votes of judges and they are deliberating courting the judges.
“This judicial walkaround on processes of legitimacy has essentially destroyed democratic legitimacy and popular legitimacy in the people as a foundation of democracy. People are wondering why we are not getting the dividends of democracy when our votes don’t matter.
“There are institutions we cannot afford to go bad. And I count three among those. In no particular order, INEC, the judiciary, and anti-corruption agencies. And that’s why I go hard on them in my private and public intellectual life. I go hard on them because these are the sentinels on the door of the people who will inflict destitution on the country or secure the country. And if we don’t make these institutions work, it is going to be impossible to save the country.”
