It is disheartening to see 3 or 4 people overturning the will of millions of Nigerians -Obasanjo on recent Appeal court Judgements on electoral dispute
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has expressed his concern over the abnormality of a few individuals, referred to as judges, having the power to overturn the decisions made by millions of voters during elections.
Obasanjo strongly criticized the authority granted to a select group of judges, deeming it as “completely unacceptable.”
His comments were prompted by recent judgments from the Court of Appeal regarding disputes arising from the 2023 elections in Nigeria.
Notably, the Court of Appeal’s decisions led to the removal of three governors—Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State, Abba Kabir Yusuf in Kano, and Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State.
These outcomes have sparked public reactions, with many Nigerians expressing disillusionment in the judiciary, especially when the affected governors belong to opposition parties.
Speaking at the high-level consultation on Rethinking Western Liberal Democracy in Africa held at Green Resort Legacy in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Obasanjo criticized what he termed as “cathedral pronouncements” by judges.
He emphasized the need to address the situation where a handful of judges could overturn the decisions of millions of voters.
According to Obasanjo, regardless of the form of democracy or government system in place, it is unacceptable for a small group of individuals, perhaps three or four judges, to nullify the decisions of millions of voters.
He called for a reevaluation of this issue, expressing his belief that such situations should not be tolerated.
