Election petition: Rule of law threatened once people lose faith in judiciary, says Obi

Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the last elections, says the rule of law becomes threatened once people lose faith in the judiciary.

Obi is challenging the outcome of the February 25 poll at the supreme court, and the verdict of the petitions tribunal affirming the victory of President Bola Tinubu.

In a thread on his X page on Tuesday, Obi said rule of law is the foundation for all fundamental rights of humans, noting that it is what binds societies together.

The former Anambra governor said when democracy is based on faulty justice, it opens the society to apparent dangers.

“The lofty titles that decorate people in power have little meaning if there is a hollowness and falsehood underneath them,” Obi said.

“Such titles which adorn those in public office mean nothing if they are not original and are fake if those who bear them have no honour to support the weight of the titles they carry.

“In situations where there is public doubt as to the veracity and authenticity of these titles and the claims behind them, it is the judiciary’s role, when called upon, to uphold the honour of the titles through transparent rulings.

“Only through such judicial interventions can the public be protected from the tyranny of dubious and duplicitous characters and identity fraudsters.

“In such situations, the judiciary has a bounding duty to protect society’s value system. This is one of the obligations of an impartial judiciary in a democracy.

“The rule of law remains the lifeblood of democracy in all societies and by whatever definition across time.

“It remains the foundation for all our fundamental rights as humans. It is the rule of law that binds society together.

“The expectation by the high and low alike that their rights will be protected and respected by fair judges in transparent courts is what keeps citizens’ loyalty and belief in democracy.

“People, irrespective of their station in life, approach the courts whenever they feel their rights are assailed in the expectation that fair courts will render justice to them according to law.

“However, when the fairness of the judiciary is not assured, and the transparency of judiciary operatives is uncertain, the rule of law will come under severe threat.

“Once ordinary people lose faith in the fairness of the judiciary, the rule of law is threatened.”

He added that the society will become threatened when the rule of the powerful trumps rule of law.

“With it, faith in democracy comes under threat as well. A society is endangered when the rule of the powerful and the rule of the rich and the mighty replaces the rule of law,” he said.

“When that happens, justice becomes a commodity to be traded between the rich and powerful and a cult of corrupt judiciary operatives.

“When a democracy is based on faulty justice, it opens society to apparent dangers.”