The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has said the judiciary, the security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should be held responsible if Nigeria’s democracy fail.
Speaking while swearing in five Rivers State High Court judges and two Customary Court of Appeal judges on Monday, Wike said it was incumbent on those agencies to do their duties by not succumbing to pressure from politicians in defence of the law.
Wike explained that there are already enabling relevant laws made by the legislature that should safeguard the practice of democracy especially as it concerns the conduct of the 2023 general election.
“I urge you to be to be firm particularly, this critical period when we are entering transition period. I believe that the legislature has done their own part by making the relevant laws in order to lead us. No law is permanent, no law is so perfect.
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“As time goes on there will be amendment based on existing realities. But now, it is the duty of the judiciary, security agencies, and INEC to save this country. If this country collapses in this transition period, they should hold the judiciary, security agencies and INEC responsible,” the Rivers governor said.
He stated that INEC has all it takes to conduct a free, fair and credible election and the security agencies have the capacity to ensure a hitch-free process.
The governor stressed that even if any litigation arise therefrom, the judiciary should courageously adjudicate on such suits without fear or favour.
He pointed to growing incidents of judges giving conflicting interpretations and security agencies putting up flimsy excuses concerning the enforcement of the law.
“If INEC wants to conduct a free and fair election, that they can do. If the security agencies want, there will be peace. And if judiciary want the law to be interpreted the way it is, that they can do. When that is done people will be happy, people will have confidence that we are getting it right.
“But when you begin to see a lot of interpretations you begin to wonder where we are heading to. Interpretations not from lawyers, but from the court on the same subject matter,” Wike lamented.
He recalled that after the 2015 general election, original INEC results sheets were tendered at the tribunal hearing that had authenticated correct serial numbers.
According to him, the implication of this is that INEC is a culprit and such incidences threaten democracy in Nigeria.