Nigeria’s Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and retired Justice Lawal Hassan Gummi have disagreed over the change mantra of the present government.
Delivering a lecture on “the Challenges of Democracy to the Judiciary: The Nigerian Perspective” at the annual lecture of the Barewa Old Boys Association (BOBA) on Saturday, Justice Gummi said successive administrations, despite claims of adherence to democratic principles, only adhered to the ones that favoured them.
“Even with the present administration that preaches change, nothing has changed, especially in respect of obedience to court orders, rule of law and adherence to democratic ethos. It is the same old story, “ he said.
Gummi noted that democracy in Nigeria has widened the gap between the rich and the poor while adding that it has breeds so much corruption and weakened public institutions.
Gummi who said it was not right in any democracy for the National Assembly to make governance difficult, Also noted that “Any democracy where the executive tries to intimidate and harass the legislature or the judiciary into doing its bidding is a democracy under threat”.
On his part Osinbajo said Nigerian elites see justice on the point of view on how “we” elites are treated, while justice for the majority of people has different definition.
According to him, there would not be justice if the masses who formed the majority in every society are in abject poverty.
On the change agenda of the present administration, the Vice President said the executive has refrained from interference in the activities of the National Assembly and in choosing its leaders unlike in the past.
“There is no attempt to make them our rubber stamp. They are now independent more than ever before,” he added.
He recalled how the National Assembly was invaded during President Good luck Jonathan’s administration in 2014, “but my Lord, (referring to Justice Gummi), excused that government”.
“And we cannot forget easily how 16 was greater than 19, because of the interference of the then central government in the affairs of the Nigeria Governors Forum,” he added
He however, listed some of the achievements of Buhari’s government which include 500,000 graduates benefiting from the N-Power programme, school feeding for 9.2 million pupils and conditional cash transfer for over 200,000 Nigerians.
In his remarks, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, said good governance in the country is achievable with piety.
Also speaking, Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar said no country can attain economic development without peace and stability, just as peace and stability could not be achieved without justice.
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