Kanu Agabi, a former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, says despite current criticism, Nigeria’s judicial system has continued to live up to expectations.
Agabi was the AGF during the presidency of Olusegun Obasanjo.
Speaking on Channels TV programme, Inside Sources, he said the judiciary is plagued by an overwhelming number of cases facing judges, which in turn had affected their performance.
The septuagenarian said: “We keep talking about reforming the judiciary. We keep attacking the judges, we stigmatise them, we abuse them, we insult them, but the truth is this: we have very good judges.
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“The judiciary is not perfect, but it is the best arm of government. The problem is, on the judges’ lists, there may be 30 or 40 cases a day. How can they cope? As long as they continue struggling with that system, they cannot manage.
“The problem with the judiciary arises from the fact that judges are overworked.”
According to him, election cases have contributed to the current overload of cases facing the judges.
“Take the elections, for instance. Do you know how many elections are challenged? Why? Because the elections are subject to justifiable suspicions.
“Those who suspect the elections have valid reasons, but if we reach a point where elections are not subjected to the kind of criticisms and suspicions that they currently face, then we can free up the courts,” he said.
While Lamenting the level of alleged rigging during elections, the senior lawyer added that politicians must realize that their service is both to God and humanity.
He said: “Primaries are rigged at the party levels. Giving a spiritual dimension, when you have obtained the office you are holding through theft, do you expect God to partner with you? Can you pray over that office? Can you use it to do any good? That’s the problem.
“St. Paul said, ‘I am an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the grace of God.’ Whatever office you hold, you must be able to say the same thing. You must be able to say, ‘I am a governor by the grace of God,’ or ‘I am a senator by the grace of God.’ If you can’t say that, your prayer invoking the name of the Lord in that office is an abomination.
“We are coming from colonialism, but our leaders are taking us back for the love of more houses, more wives, and more money.”
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