Mansur Hassan Ph.D
The Nigerian Judiciary system, often regarded as the third arm of government, holds a pivotal position as the last resort for the common citizen seeking for justice.
However, concerns have arisen recently about its impartiality, with allegations of undue influence from the executive branch of government.
A prime illustration of this ambiguity is the recent verdict delivered by the Kaduna state Gubernatorial Elections Tribunal, which appears to contradict what transpired last week in Kano.
In the aforementioned case, the tribunal declared that it lacked the authority to invalidate votes announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Yet, perplexingly, a similar tribunal, convened in Kano nearly one week ago, asserted the power to cancel over 165,000 votes that had been cast in favor of HE Abba Kabir Yusuf , the duly elected governor and leader of the most populous state in Nigeria.
These inconsistent judgements have left many citizens bewildered and concerned about the integrity of the judicial system. The judiciary, often seen as a beacon of hope for justice, now faces scrutiny for potentially yielding to external pressures, particularly when it comes to cases involving the executive arm of government.
This has raised doubts about the judiciary’s ability to uphold the principles of fairness, transparency, and the rule of law, leaving individuals like yourself understandably perplexed about the state of affairs in Nigeria’s legal landscape.
Dr. Mansur Hassan Is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Mathematics, Yusuf Maitama Sule University, Kano