Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 presidential election, has called on the judiciary to protect public office from “identity fraudsters.”
OBSERVERSTIMES reports that the former Anambra State Governor made the statement via social media on Tuesday.
Obi said the judiciary has a bounding duty to protect society’s value system and uphold the rule of law.
He added that the expectation by the high and low alike that their rights will be protected and respected by fair judges in transparent courts keeps citizens’ loyalty and belief in democracy.
“However, when the fairness of the judiciary is not assured, and the transparency of judiciary operatives is uncertain, the rule of law will come under severe threat,” Obi said. “Once ordinary people lose faith in the fairness of the judiciary, the rule of law is threatened. With it, faith in democracy comes under threat as well.”
According to Obi, a society is endangered when the rule of the powerful and the rule of the rich and the mighty replaces the rule of law. “When that happens, justice becomes a commodity to be traded between the rich and powerful and a cult of corrupt judiciary operatives,” he said.
Obi’s statement comes in the wake of accusations against President Bola Tinubu of discrepancies in his certificates, especially the one from Chicago State University.
Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Nigeria’s 25 February election, had requested the documents to back his allegation of forgery of the CSU certificate against Mr Tinubu.
The Supreme Court had on Monday commenced hearing the appeal by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), and Allied Peoples Movement (APM), seeking the nullification of Tinubu’s election.
Recall that the Tribunal had dismissed their petitions for lack of merit.