- Alleges only Court votes count now
Chidi Odinkalu, a former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), has accused politicians of using judges and the Courts to undermine Nigeria’s democratic system.
He expressed disappointment in how State governors across the country now prioritize donating vehicles to their associates and cronies over addressing the needs of those who elected them into office.
Speaking on Inside Source, a Channels Television programme on Friday, Odinkalu alleged that politicians have resorted to buying and donating Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) to judges as a way of establishing some rapport with them towards clinching victory at polls, having realised that the votes of the masses do not count anymore.
He said it is most appalling that politicians have become so emboldened that they now throw it at the faces of their opponents to take their grievances to court after disputed elections being assured that they would get victory by all means from their friends currently populating the bench.
According to the law professor; “In this economy, you buy a V6 or a V8? It’s beyond idiotic and it is aggravating. They (governors) have bought four-wheel drive for senators and members of the House of Representatives. State governors have bought four-wheel drive for their state legislators. They are donating four-wheel drive to the judiciary all over the country.
“We have this outbreak of acquisitive-ness, an epidemic of crass acquisitiveness that is ridiculous. Why do they do all of these? It’s procurement. When they do that, they take more money into their pockets than they actually give away. It’s an excuse to acquire.”
Taking a further swipe at the system that does not encourage transparency and accountability among public officeholders, the former NHRC boss said; “There are no hospitals, there are no schools, there are no roads. And so we have to buy private healthcare overseas. We have to send our children to private schools overseas.
“We have private helipads and now we have private jets and private airstrips. We have private security also. That is the problem”.
Similarly, he canvassed that for the country to get out of the current quagmire, democratic reforms must start with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the judiciary and anti-corruption agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
“This is why I have settled for INEC and the judiciary. That is where it begins”, the Human Rights activist said, adding; “They have sworn in new judges of the high courts and new justices of the Appeal Court. Did you see the number of state governors who were there? The number of senior politicians who were there?
“Politicians hosting receptions for judges and the judges going because the politicians know that our votes don’t count; what counts is the votes of judges and they are deliberating courting the judges.
“This judicial walkaround on processes of legitimacy has essentially destroyed democratic legitimacy and popular legitimacy in the people as a foundation of democracy. People are wondering why we are not getting the dividends of democracy when our votes don’t matter.”
For him; “There are institutions we cannot afford to go bad. And I count three among those. In no particular order, INEC, the judiciary, and anti-corruption agencies. And that’s why I go hard on them in my private and public intellectual life.
“I go hard on them because these are the sentinels on the door of the people who will inflict destitution on the country or secure the country. And if we don’t make these institutions work, it is going to be impossible to save the country.”
The 56-year-old lawyer and writer, who once held sway at the National Human Rights Commission as Chairman, is associated with several advocacy initiatives for the protection of human rights, including the International Refugee Rights Initiative. He was also the senior team manager for the Africa Program of Open Society Justice Initiative.
