Thread by @obyezeks

You’ve probably heard or even used the quote: “The Judiciary is the Last Hope of the common man or woman”.

It is simple; yet profound as a street version of the maxim of the Rule of Law, that “Both the rich and poor are Equal before the Law” and always.

#JudicialTransparency✍🏾

When we were growing into adulthood in this Nigeria, our Generation had the highest reverence for Judges.

Judges? Ah!

There was a deep reverence for the judges resulting in strong public confidence in the Judiciary in those days.
Times have changed.

#JudicialTransparency✍🏾

What better evidence can one present on the reversal of public confidence in Judges and the Judiciary than the recent contribution of @oagbakoba Dr Olisa Agbakoba, one of the renown former Presidents of the Nigerian Bar Association @NigBarAssoc ?I gasped!

#JudicialTransparency✍🏾

You see, every reasonable Nigerian hearing that considered opinion of Dr Olisa Agbakoba @oagbakoba SAN on the state of our country’ Justice System more broadly and Judiciary specifically has every reason to care about #JudicialTransparency, especially NOW✍🏾

Dr Agbakoba said: “I’ve lost a bit of confidence in what the courts have been doing lately. There was a time you could say, on the facts and the law, this is the likely outcome. Today you cannot, because there’s been all kinds of silly decisions”.

#JudicialTransparency✍🏾

Hear Dr Olisa Agbakoba’s @oagbakoba ‘s mouth in this interview with @channelstv .

All who fought for our Democracy- he did, I did and @ChidiOdinkalu (whose tweet I am quoting) did as well. Folks like @JibrinIbrahim17 @AbdulMahmud01 and many others did. #JudicialTransparency✍🏾

https://twitter.com/ChidiOdinkalu/status/1639938689592696832

@oagbakoba was as outraged as the Public at the decision of Supreme Court when it affirmed @SPNigeria @DrAhmadLawan as the valid candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in his senatorial district even though he did not contest the primaries. Kai! #JudicialTransparency✍🏾

“That is the most ridiculous decision I’ve ever heard that the Supreme Court has delivered,” @oagbakoba -former President of @NigBarAssoc , one of our foremost lawyers in this Land, Senior Advocate of Nigeria. Agbakoba captured the shock of Nigerians well. #JudicialTransparency✍🏾

Not done, Dr Agbakoba added:
“I don’t have the sort of confidence that I use to have in the judiciary and I will not be surprised if this thing goes one way or the other. I cannot forecast the outcome,”.

😮 😮

Citizens, it in this context that I Thread #JudicialTransparency✍🏾

Stay engaged, for you are the occupants of the Highest Office in the Land- #OfficeOfTheCitizen.

No politician, including @NGRPresident can constitutionally become, without you.

Stay engaged.

This Thread will continue later today.

#JudicialTransparency✍🏾

*used to have* ✍🏾

Election matters have especially compelled the Nigerian public (even without the legal expertise and brilliance of Dr Agbakoba @oagbakoba ) to pay attention and scrutinize the Judiciary and their rulings on cases.
Verdict is that public confidence is low.
#JudicialTransparency✍🏾

The highly contentious 2023 election is now with the Judiciary.

Citizens are proposing measures that can best guarantee that justice is done in all cases before the courts.

Are there truly any reasonable persons who dismiss such reasonable public demand? #JudicialTransparency✍🏾

Imagine the CJN and Supreme Court Justices all agreed to broadcast their proceedings of the Presidential Elections Tribunal?

Why not?

In jurisdictions where no specific law prohibits cameras in the courtroom, it has been the Judiciary’s discretion to champion #Transparency.✍🏾

If you have followed this Thread #JudicialTransparency so far, something should be already obvious.

It is that the context within which the Nigerian Judiciary will act as final arbiter of the #PresidentialElection2023 is too precarious for the #ChiefJusticeOfNigeria to ignore✍🏾

Now my Conclusions Thread of the #JudicialTransparency will transition into a new one #AJudicialDoctrineofNecessity.

See you on the new thread. ✍🏾✍🏾