Corruption, Political Manipulation Eroding Public Trust In Judiciary – Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has sounded a stern warning about Nigeria’s judiciary, citing corruption and political interference as factors eroding public trust.

In his new book: “Nigeria: Past and Future,” published by OOPL under the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Obasanjo traces what he calls the judiciary’s “precipitous fall” from independence to the current Fourth Republic.

He argues that the reputation of the judiciary has steadily declined over decades, reaching a “lamentable” state in today’s democracy. Obasanjo cautions that when justice is available only to the highest bidder, society faces “despair, anarchy, and violence” instead of fairness and order.

Drawing on personal observations, he recalled visiting a northern state about ten years after leaving office, where a governor pointed out six duplexes allegedly built by a judge using funds acquired as chairman of election tribunals. Such examples, he claims, explain why politicians often distrust the electoral process.

Obasanjo directly criticized Professor Mahmood Yakubu, head of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), accusing the agency of prioritizing the chairman’s will over that of the people. He further alleged that tribunal judges, appellate justices, and even the Supreme Court have in multiple cases “corruptly overridden the will of millions of voters.”

The former president also claimed that former President Muhammadu Buhari benefited from such judicial favoritism, rewarding judges involved in his election disputes with appointments, regardless of rank or age. He concluded sharply that courts often serve as “courts of corruption rather than courts of justice.”

Obasanjo’s remarks underscore widespread concerns about the credibility of Nigeria’s elections and the integrity of its judiciary, a matter of persistent anxiety for both citizens and international observers