2023: Politicians exhibiting disdain for democratic process, says Wike

Nyesom Wike, Rivers governor, says politicians are acting contrary to election laws in their conduct.

He said this on Friday at a book launch in honour of Abdu Aboki, a retired justice of the supreme court, in Abuja.

Although the Rivers governor did not mention any name in particular, in recent weeks, he has been one of those asking Iyorchia Ayu, the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) — his party — to resign.

The call for Ayu to resign is said to be on the grounds that it is contrary to the party’s democratic process for the PDP presidential candidate and national chairman to be from the same region.

Speaking further on Friday, the Rivers governor also accused the federal government of neglecting the rule of law, adding that with the current challenges, the country is “headed for hard rocks”.

“The federal government continues to undermine the rule of law, while political parties and party leaders continue to exhibit utter arrogance and disdain for the electoral laws and the democratic process in their actions and conduct,” he said.

“With cries of injustice, discrimination and inequities everywhere and with the risen instability and deterioration of law and order, only the undiscerning would believe that Nigeria is not headed for the hard rocks.”

Speaking on the judiciary, Wike said the federal government should resolve the challenges affecting effective justice delivery, adding that his state has done well in that regard.

“The judiciary dies where it lies comatose and removed from the aspirations of the citizens for good governance, the rule of law, the protection of fundamental rights and the guarantee of free and fair elections,” he said.

“The judiciary dies when it can easily be manipulated; when justice can be procured; when the injustice is rendered in place of justice to the aggrieved parties; or when resort to self-help and other means of redress outside the law becomes the preferred norm by citizens.

“Let us, therefore, continue to call on the federal government to strengthen our judiciary system by resolving the challenges militating against judicial effectiveness as I have done in Rivers state, where we have continued to prioritise the independence of the judiciary and improved the working and living conditions of our judges beyond measure.”

According to a statement by Kelvin Ebiri, his spokesperson, Wike also said despite the challenges, the Nigerian judicial system has what it takes to guarantee justice “only when the judiciary is able to assert itself without fear or favour, upholding the truth at all times and standing up to any other power or principality that attempts to undermine or override its constitutional responsibilities, powers and processes”.