Influence Peddling And The Growing Resentment Against The Judiciary.

IKPE MARA EZIOKWU

Few months ago, Senator Bulkachuwa, the husband to former president Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Adamu Bulkachuwa, in self praise, reminded his colleagues in the Red Chambers how he has helped many of them win their cases through his wife.

Also, sometimes in early 2022, Senator Ken Nnamani, in self praise to buttress his contribution to Nkanuland, revealed how he helped Sir Christian Chinyeaka Oha get off EFCC hook, using his position as Senate President.

Nyesom Wike has a strong hold on the Judiciary through Justice Mary Odili(rtd) who has been helping him in many of his cases but such is not healthy in a constitutional democracy.

The impact of influence peddling on Nigeria’s judiciary is destructive to the the cause of justice and has reinforced the trend of politicians and justices having their family members in the bench. Belonging to the bench is gradually becoming hereditary in Nigeria.

Recently again, Justice Muhammed Dattijo could not stomach his resentment about the rot in the Nigeria Judiciary during a valedictory session organized in his honour. In his words “it is obvious that the judiciary I am exiting from is far from the one l voluntarily joined and desired to serve and be identified with”

Stories abound how judgements in Election Petitions were negotiated to serve certain political interest as against the interest of justice. The Appeal Court judgement on the Enugu Governorship Election Petition is one of such negotiated judgements, that up to this moment, no one understands the ratio decidendi of that judgement.

Facts, evidence, precedents and laws were ignored for influence peddling which unfortunately has triggered the worst of electoral malpractices in Nigeria where election results were pre-recorded as witnessed in the off season governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi State.

It is the hope of Nigerians that the Supreme Court will not fail to uphold the constitution by dispensing justice in all the governorship election appeals expected to terminate at the Supreme Court.

There is no doubt that the survival of Nigeria’s Democracy lies on the dedication of the Judiciary to upholding the constitution.