Senior Advocate of Nigeria and ex-First Vice President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikeazor Akaraiwe has faulted the suggestion of Lere Olayinka, the media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, who appeared to endorse the close association of Nigeria’s judicial officers with politicians.
Olayinka, in a tweet said: “In USA, Supreme Court Justices are openly identified by their Conservative and Liberal political ideologies. They are associated with political parties in power when they were nominated…”
Reacting to the assertion, Akaraiwe said, “But our jurisprudence does not take its trajectory from the United States but from the United Kingdom, where judges are not identified by their political ideologies. To change that trajectory midstream would traumatise more than 100 years of jurisprudence, given, in particular, our immature politics.”
Abuja lawyer Chief Nkereuwem Akpan was scathing in his response: “So which judge in the US can declare someone who came 5th or 6th as governor? Which judge in the US will pretend not to know and take judicial Notice that 27 Lawmakers defected from PDP to APC in Rivers State?
“Which judge in the USA will not recognize the age-old doctrine of self-defence? Which judge in the USA will remove a sitting CJN based on an ex parte motion where the defendant was not heard? Can an Attorney General in the USA advise the President to remove a democratically elected Governor and state legislators from office?
“Has any American President removed an elected Governor from office or is it not the same Presidential Constitution that we are practicing. Which past Governor in the USA is putting pressure on the incumbent to steal money from the Treasury and allow the ex-governor to control the state while serving as a Secretary (Minister) at Washington, DC?
“Which judge in the US will take up the issue of traditional rulership and squeeze it into section 251 of the 1999 Constitution as a matter over which the Federal High Court (Federal Courts) have jurisdiction
“Ultimately, judges and justices do not file motions, it is the ridiculous prayers sought by unscrupulous lawyers that the unscrupulous judges will grant. Which lawyers in the US will file the sort of motions and applications that very senior lawyers are filing in Nigeria just to get their fees without scruples?
“So, we can pick and chose what portions of the US system that is convenient? This man should enjoy his salary as an Aide and stop comparing apples to oranges. Odinkalu is not at his level.”
On his part, a former news editor of a national newspaper said: “I am sorry for our country, which has thrown up the likes of Leke. At best, this journalistic MC Oluomo would be a beat reporter.
“Yes, even judges go for election as per last week’s election into Wisconsin Supreme Court which cost over $60 million in campaign costs. Though judges are appointed either from the prism of ideologies and they give judgements based on conservative interpretations of the law, you don’t see them consort with the executive or the legislature.
“Indeed, the criticisms that have been lodged against Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has been over his COVERT association with likely elite whose cases might eventually come up to SC. He is not consorting with the executive or legislature, whether of conservative or liberal cue.”
