KEY POINTS
- Atedo Peterside urges caution in judging the new Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) prematurely amid controversy surrounding the disputed Edo election.
- Peterside highlights the importance of giving the judiciary time to act independently and responsibly.
- The disputed Edo poll has sparked national debate, with the judiciary’s role in resolving the matter being closely watched.
A leading Nigerian banker, Atedo Peterside, the founder of STANBIC IBTC has urged people not to rush into judgment over the newly appointed Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) about the controversy over the Edo election petition.
This was said in an interview with the media when Peterside stated that; the judiciary is not easy to be trusted and therefore needs time to be censored.
Out of the Edo election which has become topical in Nigeria today, debate has ensued on electoral malpractice and the judiciary as the final umpire.
Given the above, with the new CJN taking its seat, some political analysts have been worried about the partiality of the judiciary in the handling of such cases.
Judicial independence has become an important factor to consider.
These concerns, according to Peterside, would be unwise to start writing off the new CJN without observing how the judiciary manages the Edo poll case.
He said that the judiciary should be given a chance to exercise its discretion and that any early intervention could lead to a loss of public confidence in the justice delivery system.
BusinessDay also quoted Peterside as saying that the judiciary should not be influenced or controlled by any external force. He noted that the new CJN, like any other judicial officer, requires the freedom to prove his or her sanctity and loyalty to the Constitution.
Disputed Edo election
The Edo election has been an issue of discussion mainly focusing on rigging and other evils ascribed to the poll. Each of the major political parties in the race has taken their complaints to the courts and it is the judiciary that makes the final decisions.
When the new CJN takes up the mantle of supervising Nigeria’s judiciary, political scientists now expect to see how the courts will handle the case and whether the change of guard will usher in any new directions in the handling of election-related cases.
The ruling in the Edo case is expected to determine how other future elections will be resolved in Nigeria.
Peterside’s remarks are most appropriate at a time when the Nigerian public has turned to the judiciary to deliver justice, especially in politically sensitive matters such as the Edo state governorship election.
His appeal for patience seems to be part of a larger trend of thinking that the courts should be allowed to work through legal issues without pressure from the public or political leaders.
A test for the judiciary
The Edo election dispute is one of the most important cases to define the new CJN and the Nigerian judiciary as a whole.
Increasing public interest and political risks led to the decision made in this case affecting the further electoral process in Nigeria and the population’s perception of the judiciary.
Peterside defending the CJN confirm the irreversible moment of need to protect the judiciary at any given time.
Admittedly, it is possible to harbour legitimate concerns with regard to the alleged bias of the judiciary, nevertheless, the focus is made on the need to let the judiciary prove its concern for justice as per Peterside.
Most Nigerians are optimistic that the courts will be very careful in handling the Edo election case and make sure that justice is done and that the electoral system is followed to the letter.
In his message, Peterside has come with a positive message as he warned the public to be mindful of the fact that the judiciary also has the mandate of defending democracy and hence should be allowed to exercise this power without being admonished to do it before the duration instructed.
