Law No Longer Form Basis of S’Court Judgments in Nigeria — SAN Agbakoba

Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Olisa Agbakoba has said that the law no longer forms the basis of judgment in Nigeria’s Supreme Court.

The senior lawyer stated this in a recent interview with Channels Television.

Agbakoba doubted the ability of the judiciary to dispense untainted justice as politicians and their parties resort to the courts to address the grievances arising from the just concluded general election.

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He recalled the decision of the Supreme Court which affirmed Senate President Ahmed Lawan as the valid candidate for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in his senatorial district even though he did not contest the primaries.

It was believed that Lawan hijacked the candidacy from the winner of the primaries, Bashir Machina.

For the former NBA president, recent decisions of the courts have not reflected what may be called reasonable adjudication of political matters.

He said:

“I’ve lost a bit of confidence in what the courts have been doing lately. There was a time you could say, on the facts and the law, this is the likely outcome. Today you cannot, because there’s been all kinds of silly decisions.

“That is the most ridiculous decision I’ve ever heard that the Supreme Court has delivered.

“I don’t have the sort of confidence that I use to have in the judiciary and I will not be surprised if this thing goes one way or the other. I cannot forecast the outcome.”