Former President GoodLuck Jonathan has faulted Court judgments which according to him has given rise to deepening political crisis in Nigeria.
Jonathan who described the Court decisions as “turning the cone of justice upside down”, was addressing a gathering at the 50-book presentation of renowned Human Rights lawyer, Prof. Mike Ozekhome, SAN, in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.
The former President expressed deep concerns about the state of the judiciary and its impact on the country’s political landscape.
Jonathan while noting that there is the need to put an end to political crisis across the country, urged members of the Bar and the Bench not to be carried away by political antics.
Ex President Goodluck Jonathan who was a co-chairman at the book presentation which also marked the 67th birthday celebration of Prof. Mike Ozekhome, noted that recent Court judgments in political matters have thrown the country into disarray, particularly referencing a controversial ruling that empowered a Ward party chairman to expel a National Chairman of a political Party.
The Chairman of the occasion and former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, in his remarks described Ozekhome as an extraordinary man and person who advocated thorough and social change with conviction.
Former Presidential candidate of the Labour Party , Peter Obi urged Prof. Ozekhome and other Nigerians not to relent in efforts to build a better society, while the former Chairman of the body of Benchers, Wole Olanipekun, SAN who reviewed the 50 books authored by Prof. Mike Ozekhome tagged the senior lawyer as a legal scholar, whose views are expressed on diverse subjects.
The books were grouped under four themes; Rights and expectations of persons qua citizens under the constitution and the law; the Duties imposed on and expected of the government at all tiers, including those in positions of leadership, across board; Private wrongs which stand unaddressed, and Public wrongs which continue unabated.”
The 50 books presented by the Professor of law and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome represents a life time of scholarship, activism and reflections on the most pressing issues facing Nigeria, Africa and the world.
(Editor: Ken Eseni)
