Civil society groups have said that the judiciary in the country was on trial and promised to protect the collective democratic aspirations and ethos of Nigeria.
The Organized labour threatened to constitute what it called a hall of shame for judges that compromise in the dispensation of justice because of pecuniary benefits.
Speaking at a briefing by Labour Civil Society Front, LCSF, in Abuja on Sunday , President of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, said the judciary was seriously down, a situation that had led to the mantra “go to court” by corrupt people who stole the mandate of the people in the just-concluded election.
Commending the group for rising to defend the democracy, he said: “We identify with all the views expressed here this afternoon because we believe the mission is geared towards rescuing Nigeria, the judiciary.
“If they failed to answer those questions within a short time, we would create a hall of shame for those judges that come up with such judgments and that will happen soon.
There is need for the NBA, for all arms in the judiciary, to the bar and benches, and all to speak out on what is happening in the judiciary.
We doubt whether judiciary is still the last hope of the common man.
“Now, the destiny of the country hangs in a balance.
It is either they fulfil it or they betray it once again, the aphorism, ‘go to the court’ these days is now shameful.
When people tell you go to court, they are telling you something.
In a statement signed by Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, Comrade Shehu Sani, Ambassador Nkoyo Toyo and Salisu Mohammed on behalf of the Labour Civil Society Front, titled “In the defence of Nigeria’s democracy and in solidarity with the Nigerian workers”, the group said the 2023 general elections had taken place but noted that its ripples and aftermath for the nation’s promising democracy had been worrisome and frightening.
The statement, read by Ambassador Toyo said: “Some of us, who are architects of Nigeria’s current democratic experience, being human rights leaders, political rights advocates, progressives, civil society and labour movement activists that fought the military for the restoration of democratic governance in Nigeria, have watched with utter astonishment how the processes and procedures meant to consolidate our 24 years of democratic wins have been greatly eroded through the 2023 general elections.
“We entered this season of elections with a strong consensus by Nigerians that the new Electoral Act 2022 will improve the level of electoral accountability and that the huge financial investment of about N355 billion in electoral processes (involving the deployment of Bi-Modal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) technology), will make a marked difference to the elections.
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