The Nigerian judiciary is the greatest opposition to the development of our country’s politics.
Recall that, on 10th June, 1993, barely two days to the presidential election between MKO Abiola of SDP and Bashir Tofa of NRC, a political organization (in support of NRC) named Association for a better Nigeria and led by Chief Arthur Nzeribe obtained a high court injunction against the holding of the election.
Despite this injunction, the National Electoral Commission (NEC) under the chairmanship of Humphrey Nwosu went ahead to stage the election — on grounds that the court lacks the authority on election-related affairs.
However, on the 15th of June, 1993, while the results of the election were being announced, the same organization went and obtained another court injunction to stop the announcement — since Abiola’s SDP had won 19, out of 30 states.
Unimaginably, the NEC, this time, honoured the court injunction as they proceeded to Radio Nigeria on the 16th of June, 1993 to inform Nigerians of the suspension of results announcement, indicating that it was prohibited by a high court injunction.
Later, on 24th June, 1993, the sitting military president, Ibrahim Babangida annulled the entire elections — citing “judiciary protection” as chief reason.
Since then, up until now, Nigeria’s political market has been all about the buying and selling of court injunctions.
©Endurance Onun
A political writer/analyst.
