Nigerian Judiciary has been urged to live to expectations and checkmate the excesses of desperate politicians not to truncate the country’s hard-earned democracy.
Equally, there are needs to strengthen the Legislature, Independent National Electoral Commission, The Press and the Administration of Local Governments to boost the dividends of democracy and good governance in the country.
These suggestions were made by an Elder Statesman, and prominent Lagosian, Chief (Dr) Adesunbo Onitiri, in a Press Statement issued and signed in Lagos to commemorate the June 12 anniversary and 26 years of unbroken democratic government in Nigeria.
He said the situation where the governments and politicians would continue to disobey court judgments, interpret them to suit their whims and caprice should not be tolerated by the court.
As the last hope of the common man, the Judiciary must dispense to the admiration of parties in any dispute, he explained.
Onitiri also stressed the need for the National and States Legislature to work in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by enacting laws and motions that would improve the lives of Nigerians, as well as taking their oversight functions with all seriousness.
In order to bring government to the grassroots, the states governors must allow the local governments to function fully and their monthly allocations go directly to them, the Elder statesman emphasised.
Onitiri called for a vibrant, fearless, impartial and incorruptible Press that would mirror the society, hold governments and politicians to account without whose horse is gored.
He also called on INEC to carry out its functions as an unbiased umpire in order to give credibility to our electoral processes which would encourage the citizens the confidence to come out and vote for the candidates of their choices during election time.
As Nigeria celebrates 26th anniversary of unbroken civilian governance, Onitiri again, cautioned politicians moving from one party to another to form political alliances to tread softly, softly not to plunge the country into avoidable crises.
Onitiri urged Nigerians not to lose hope and trust in our current democracy, stressing that the worst civilian government is better than any military government.
Onitiri and two others procured the judgement that enabled Nigerians vote on June 12, 1993 and another historical judgement that the winner of the election should be announced before the military truncated the democratic process.
He joined other pro-Democracy groups who fought relentlessly to send the military back to the barracks and birth the nascent democracy we now being enjoyed.
