‘It’s Totally Unacceptable For Three Judges To Upturn Millions Of Voters’ – Obasanjo Rejects Sack Of Governors

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has faulted the verdicts of the Nigerian judges on the ongoing electoral disputes, saying it is unacceptable for three to five judges to overturn decisions made by millions of voters during an election.

Naija News recalls that three governors were sacked in separate judgements delivered by the judges of the Appeal Court, while Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State was sacked by the Election Petition Tribunal, and the decision has triggered outrage from political elites and supporters.

The governors by the appeal court ruling are Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State, Abba Kabir Yusuf in Kano, and Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State.

Speaking at the high-level consultation on Rethinking Western Liberal Democracy in Africa held at Green Resort Legacy, Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Obasanjo described the judgements of the judges as “cathedral pronouncements”.

Obasanjo argued that the system of government allowing judges to determine the outcome of elections should be looked into and adequately handled.

He said, “I believe whatever form of democracy we have or whatever system of government we have, three or four men in the judiciary should not be able to overturn the decisions of millions that have voted. Now, we have to find a way to handle that. I don’t know what the way will be, but, for me, I think it’s totally unacceptable that millions (of votes), maybe 10m on one side, maybe 9million on the other side. Then, you have five people sitting down, three of them agree, two disagree. And you come up and make cathedral pronouncements that cannot be changed, I believe that should not be accepted.

“How do we do it? I don’t know. But whatever form of democracy we have, we should look at how to handle this. If you say ‘go again for election,’ then, what happened to the previous election? I don’t know.

“So, I personally feel strongly about. It does not matter what you say about the judiciary, but in fact only five people or seven will sit down. If they are five, three may agree, two may not agree, and the decision of three will be final. All that you have done comes to the decision of three or decision of four.”