Anglican Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Rt. Rev. Samuel Ike, has said the independence of the legislature and judiciary in Nigeria is very questionable.
In his address delivered at the second session of the 19th synod holding at the St. Paul’s Anglican Church, China Town, Enugu, he said the legislature was expected to make laws that impact the people positively while the judiciary should interpret the law.
He, however, expressed dismay that the executive seems to have subsumed the other arms of government.
“The recent unconstitutional suspension (as stated by the NBA) of the democratic structures in Rivers State is a case in hand.
“The National Assembly, by endorsing the suspension, failed to do due diligence in upholding the rule of law and speaking truth to power. Similarly, the judiciary has become less predictable in its interpretation of the law and delivery of judgements.
“While it had annulled the Rivers State local government elections (rightly or wrongly), the legislature has stood arms akimbo as the sole administrator has gone ahead to make appointments against the constitutional expectations in a democracy.
“The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Kekere-Ekun, needs to rise and position the judiciary in its rightful place as the interpreter of the law and the last hope of the aggrieved and the common man in Nigeria. The recurring scenarios in which, following a Supreme Court judgement, the appellants and defendants give their own interpretations, leaving the masses confused, should stop.
“The judiciary should ensure that it is frank, plain and simple in its use of language in delivering judgments. If need be, the certified true copy of judgements should be translated into the three major Nigerian languages,” he stated.
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