Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has raised fresh concerns about the state of Nigeria’s judiciary, warning that corruption and political manipulation have eroded public trust in the system.
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In his latest book, Nigeria: Past and Future, published by OOPL Publishing under the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Obasanjo devoted a section to the judiciary, tracing what he described as its “precipitous fall” from independence to the Fourth Republic.
According to him, the reputation of the judiciary has steadily declined over the decades, but the situation in the current democratic era is “lamentable.” He warned that where justice is reserved only for the highest bidder, the result will be “despair, anarchy and violence” instead of hope, order, and fairness.
Citing personal observations, Obasanjo recounted visiting a northern state about a decade after leaving office, where a governor pointed out six duplexes allegedly built by a judge from proceeds made as chairman of election tribunals. He said such practices highlight why politicians place little faith in the electoral process.
“No matter what the will of the people may be, the Chairman of INEC since after the 2015 election had made his will greater and more important than the will of the people,” Obasanjo wrote, directly criticizing Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the current head of the electoral body.
He further alleged that tribunal judges, appellate justices, and even the Supreme Court have in several instances “corruptly overridden the will of millions of voters.” He recalled that former President Muhammadu Buhari benefited from the system, not only through favorable rulings but also by rewarding judges involved in his election cases with appointments, regardless of age or rank.
“The victim or the cheated is advised to go to court, which is a court of corruption rather than a court of justice,” Obasanjo declared.
The former president’s remarks, laced with sharp criticism of both the judiciary and electoral umpire, reflect a long-standing worry among Nigerians and international observers about the credibility of elections and the integrity of the justice system.
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