Obasanjo Criticizes Court Of Appeal’s Overturning of Elections

Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has criticized the Court of Appeal’s recent sacking of three governors, stating that three to five judges should not overturn decisions made by millions of voters during an election.

Obasanjo criticized the powers vested in the hands of a few judges as “totally unacceptable” and criticized the cathedral pronouncements made by the judges. He referred to the ongoing proceedings and verdicts of the Court on various electoral disputes arising from the 2023 elections in Nigeria.

Obasanjo spoke at a high-level consultation on Rethinking Western Liberal Democracy in Africa and criticized the judges’ cathedral pronouncements.

He believed that regardless of the form of democracy or government system, three or four men in the judiciary should not be able to overturn the decisions of millions of voters. He argued that the process of having five or seven judges make decisions that cannot be changed, and that the decision of three or four will be final.

Obasanjo believes that the current system of governance in Nigeria should be reevaluated and that the powers vested in a few judges should not be overturned.