A legal practitioner, Mr. Loveday Obari has slammed the judiciary for overly serving, and protecting the interest of the ruling class.
Obari spoke in an interview, while reacting to the recent Supreme Court ruling on the Rivers State political crisis.
He said “in Nigeria, the court has come to protect the ruling class. That is why when they hand down injustice, they will say go to court because they know that what you are going to get in court is not substantial justice, but technical justice or political justice.
“Nigerians know as a fact that what we have had from the Supreme Court on the Rivers crisis is one of those political judgements that we normally see over the years”
The lawyer warned that this development portends danger for Nigeria, because “the international community will see Nigeria as a country that is not willing to protect democracy, rule of law and the channels of justice, So they will not have confidence to invest in Nigeria.”
He further lamented the level of polarization the political crisis has brought to the state polity, stressing that virtually everyone in the state has pitched his/her tent with either side in the crisis.
“But, it shouldn’t be like that. We can’t all be politicians. And in a country where there is no political ideology, being a politician in Nigeria means that you are expecting some economic returns or benefits.
“So that is where we get it wrong. Look at our youths, nobody is ready to be productive. And that is why the country is bleeding,” Obarti bemoaned.
According to the lawyer, in order to check the excesses of the ruling class in Nigeria, the people must come to realize that they wield the ultimate power.
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“Nigerians should know that power belongs to the people, and let us use that power effectively, positively and decisively. One, our vote does not count. So, let us ensure going forward first let our vote count, such that it will guarantee the counting of votes
“It’s only when our votes count, that politicians will reckon with the people. But if a politician can manoeuvre his way into power, then you are nothing. Whatever you say or do, does not matter,” he maintained.
However, he stressed that a major pitfall on the side of the people, is the tendency to pitch tent with a particular political party and follow blindly.
“Everybody follows the bandwagon, following the ruling party because they want something they will eat today, and mortgage their future. It’s so unfortunate,” he added.
