Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Jibrin Okutepa has questioned whether Nigeria is cursed, citing the abnormalities and dashed hopes plaguing the country. Okutepa expressed concern over the state of democracy and the judiciary’s role in entertaining political disputes.
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Okutepa recalled a time when not all cases were justifiable and the judiciary exercised caution in accepting cases that fell outside its jurisdiction. He argued that entertaining political questions has damaged the reputation of the once-noble institution, with perceptions of judicial capture for political purposes becoming disturbingly regular.
The senior lawyer pointed to the political wranglings in Kano and Rivers States, where the judiciary seems to have become an instrument for resolving and truncating government functions. He lamented that politics in Nigeria is played for personal gain rather than the public good, with politicians amassing unexplained wealth.
Okutepa criticized those who should be protecting the people but instead conspire to undermine them. He noted that the evils in Nigeria are too visible to ignore and that the perception is that the government has been personalized, with the federal government more interested in protecting partisan political actors than defending the constitution.
The SAN argued that it is a constitutional sabotage for any court to give orders that truncate the provisions of security to any part of Nigeria. He also condemned the abuse of process by those approaching courts to withhold funds due to any tier of government.
Okutepa recalled a Supreme Court ruling during President Obasanjo’s tenure that heavily criticized the federal government for withholding funds from Lagos State’s local governments. He called for those who believe they are above the law to have a rethink, emphasizing that Nigeria belongs to all.
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