Opinion
Judgement For Sale: How Unscrupulous Judgement may Frustrate President Tinubu’s Plans for a Better Nigeria
By Faleye Oluwatosin Simon
The government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been going round the world wooing investor to bring their investments to the country to better the economy of the country, one thing however that may be standing as obstacle towards achieving this feat is the activities of the judiciary.
Recent activities from the supposed hope of common man is leaving too much to desire, recent judgement being delivered from the hallowed chambers is like deliberating working to negate the effect of the effort of the president to attract foreign investors into the country by deliberating preaching with their questionable judgement that investors’ right can be violated by their crooked gavels.
A group of retired and serving judges, magistrates, apex media doyens and others under the aegis of God & Country Ombudsmen for Nation Building (GOCONB) recently in Edo State petitioned the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) over a dismissed petition filed at the Edo State Election Tribunal’
The petition, which was addressed separately to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, His Lordship Ariwoola Kayode, the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the President of the Court of Appeal, Her Lordship Monica Dongban-Mensah, was titled, “Preserving the Honour & Integrity of Nigeria’s Judiciary from Unpatriotic Conduct of Three Tribunal Judges.”
The GOCONB petitions shows that the new judicial advocacy body that also comprises of zenith professionals in the media, environmentalists and international solicitors, some of who hold briefs with the ECOWAS, the African Union and European Commission, among global development institutions and partners.
It would be recalled that Recall that the Edo State election petition tribunal sitting in Benin and headed by Justice Yusuf Mohammed with Justice M.O. Agboola and Justice (Mrs) K.A. Keweanya as members, had dismissed the petition of the Labour Party’s candidate, Mr. Murphy Imasuen, who had challenged the declaration of his All Progressives Congress (APC) opponent, Mr. Osawaru Billy Famous, as the winner of Orhionmwon/Uhunwode federal constituency in the February 25 National Assembly election to the House of Representatives.
The tribunal ruled that it did not recognize Imasuen as his party’s candidate because of a pre-election issue within the Labour Party disregarding the judgement of Federal High Court in Suit No. FHC/B/CS/129/2022 delivered on February 20, 2023, and that of the Appeal Court in Suit No. CA/B/35/23 delivered on April 20, 2023, both of which declared Imasuen Murphy as the lawful House of Rep Candidate for Orhionmwon/Uhunwode federal constituency of Edo state under the Labour Party.
The three-man National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly election petition panel headed by Justice Yusuf Mohammed, questionably unanimously ruled that in spite of the pre-election judgment of the Federal High Court and the sequel Appeal Court judgment which declared Imasuen Murphy as the rightful candidate of the LP, the panel did not recognize Imasuen as the candidate of the Labour Party but Elizabeth Ativie whose candidacy had been terminally squashed by the Appeal Court.
Despite being furnished with the judgement of both the high court and the superior courts the tribunal turned a blind eye and delivered the judgment described by the GOCONB as “distressful, egregiously contemptuous of superior courts and not supported by law or facts.”
The statements reads further that the CJN and the NJC should wade in before actions of some judges turn the country on its head. The actions of many of these judges will not only make the judiciary an object of mockery it is also a tool that is working against the effort of the Tinubu led government to project the image of the country positively to the rest of the world.
In a similar case a political group, the Renaissance Political Forum in Amuwo Odofin also accused the Governor of Lagos State Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu of allegedly collaborating with the House of Assembly petition Tribunal in Lagos headed by Justice Ashu Ewah, of turning the law on its head and showing contempt for judgement of a superior court just to force the governor’s candidate on the people even when he was rejected with vote during the March elections.
Findings reveals that the tribunal with the allege inducement from the governor decided to disregard their oath for upholding the law and rather worked contrarily to the constitution they swear to defend. Justice Ewah, together with his team which includes; Justices Abdullahi Ozegya and M. A. Sambo, were said to have acted as both the prosecutors and the judge in several cases but this become more pronounced in the case involving one Rauf Olawale Sulaiman from Amuwo-Odofin 2 in the State House of Assembly where the governor was said to be interested because he’s allegedly the governor’s ears and eyes in the State Legislative arm and the need for him to return not minding how judgement was obtained even to the extent that the judgement of the superior court was blatantly disregarded to impose the governor’s choice.
The group were also critical of the rot in the Judiciary which has spread to the upper court like the Court of Appeal where some justices were said to have deliberately engaged in underhand tactics to further enforce the anomaly and judgement miscarriage of the Lagos House of Assembly election tribunal by adopting virtual sitting to deliver the purported judgement to favor the governor’s candidate that lost election even with a hanging alleged signature forging accusation with regards to it, with total disregard for existing pre-election judgement by the Court of Appeal thereby embarking on an action that sees the court cancelling itself.
Observers were of the strong believe that the economic reform of the Tinubu led government is facing more risk of sabotage from the misgivings of the judiciary more than that of any other arm of the government, since it is the general knowledge that a compromised court is dangerous for business.
By Oluwatosin Faleye
The heart of man is truly full of wickedness and nowhere is this clearer than in the recent avoidable tragedy that claimed the lives of 21 young athletes from Kano State.
These were vibrant, determined youths who proudly represented their state at the 2024 National Sports Festival in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
On their journey home, after enduring countless challenges to prepare and compete with pride, they died in a horrific accident when their bus plunged off Chiromawa Bridge on the Kano-Zaria Expressway.
*Lives Wasted by Negligence, Not Fate
How could this have happened? How can athletes representing an entire state be subjected to a dangerous 16-hour road trip across 1,028 km, rather than being airlifted like dignitaries, VIPs, or religious pilgrims?
*Where is the value for life.Where is the priority for the future?
A government that fails to protect, yet finds billions for pilgrimages.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf approved a ₦1.45 billion subsidy for 2,900 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia—₦500,000 each for a religious exercise.
Yet, the same government could not allocate funds to ensure the safe return of the youth representing the state in a national sporting competition.
To add insult to irreversible injury, the government announced a ₦1 million compensation for each bereaved family. But the question is, can ₦1 million replace a life cut short?
Can ₦1 million restore the lost future of a potential Olympic champion?
Would this tragedy have occurred if leadership had put safety over ceremony?
*Critical Questions That Must Be Answered
Would the Chairman of the Kano State Sports Commission, Umar Bala Fagge, make that same dangerous road trip in that same bus?
Was the bus roadworthy?
Was it newly acquired or an overused death trap?
How many trained drivers were assigned to such a long, high-risk journey?
*Was there any emergency response plan in place?*
These are not rhetorical questions—they are demands. Because young lives have been lost, not to an act of God, but to poor planning, negligence, and a lack of foresight.
…No Public Holiday Can Wipe Away This Shame
Declaring a public holiday is not leadership. Leadership is prevention. Leadership is prioritizing life. Leadership is accountability. Had the state government taken these athletes seriously—as it does pilgrims or politicians—this may never have happened.
Enough of the Lip Service—We Demand Accountability
The youth are not expendable. The glory they sought to bring to Kano has now turned into grief. The government must do more than issue condolences—it must answer, act, and prevent.
This is not just a tragedy for Kano. This is a tragedy for Nigeria.
Your Excellency,
Governor Seyi Abiodun Makinde,
Governor of Oyo State, Nigeria.
Dear Governor Makinde,
I write to you not out of political bias or personal grievance, but as a concerned citizen, a voter, and a stakeholder in the future of Oyo State. This letter is not to attack but to appeal. It is a call to action, driven by a deep sense of urgency and a sincere desire to see our state live up to its full potential—starting with the health of its people.
Sir, it is no secret that our healthcare system is in crisis. From Ibadan to the smallest towns and villages across the state, state-owned hospitals and clinics are falling apart. Many are under-equipped, understaffed, and in some cases, completely non-functional. If Ibadan, the capital city, is struggling with basic medical services, we can only imagine the situation in remote areas.
Our people are suffering. Pregnant women are left without proper care. Children die from preventable illnesses. Patients are turned away due to lack of drugs, equipment, or medical personnel. And yet, there appears to be silence from the leadership entrusted to fix these problems.
Governor Makinde, you are often referred to as a “people’s governor,” but true leadership is measured not in titles, but in impact. The healthcare system in Oyo State has not improved in any tangible way under your administration. In fact, it seems to have worsened. This is deeply disappointing.
It is even more troubling that the current Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, appears to be absent in this crisis. Primary healthcare centers remain severely understaffed. The maternal mortality rate is still unacceptably high. Quack practitioners operate freely. Promises of upgrades and reforms have yielded little to no real change. The people are still waiting.
Sir, this is a matter of life and death. Oyo State’s population should be a blessing, not a burden on a broken system. Yet, our hospitals remain shadows of what they should be. Good healthcare is not a luxury. It is a basic right. And it is the responsibility of any government that claims to serve the people.
As we look toward future elections, I urge you to reflect on the legacy you will leave behind. Will you be remembered as the leader who built stadiums while hospitals decayed? Or as the governor who took bold action when it mattered most?
Governor Makinde, I humbly ask you to prioritize the health of the people over politics and publicity. Restore our healthcare system. Equip our hospitals. Hire more qualified medical personnel. Hold your health ministry accountable.
Oyo State deserves better.
We, the people, deserve better.
Yours sincerely,
Faleye Oluwatosin Simon
Concerned Citizen & Advocate for Good Governance
Nigeria
The jailbreak at the Koton Karfe Medium Security Custodial Centre in Kogi State on Monday, March 24, 2025, has once again highlighted the security challenges facing Nigeria’s correctional facilities.
The incident, which resulted in the escape of 12 inmates after tampering with padlocks in a section of the facility, also led to the death of a correctional officer. This marks the sixth jailbreak at Koton Karfe since 2012, with a similar incident in 2016 seeing 13 inmates escape, none of whom have been rearrested.
Security experts have repeatedly pointed to infrastructure deficits, overcrowding, prolonged trials, and poor remuneration of correctional staff as major factors contributing to frequent prison breaks.
As of March 25, 2025, statistics from the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) indicate that 79,669 inmates are housed in the country’s custodial centres. Of these, 26,898 are convicted prisoners, while 52,771—amounting to 66%—are awaiting trial. The Koton Karfe facility, built in 1934 and re-commissioned in 2015 with a capacity for 320 inmates, faces severe overcrowding, compounding security risks.
The delays in Nigeria’s judicial process have led to an overwhelming number of awaiting trial inmates, increasing pressure on correctional centres and contributing to recurring jailbreaks. Experts argue that tackling prison congestion is key to addressing security breaches.
Calls have grown for the Federal Government to enhance security measures in correctional facilities. Suggestions include increased investment in surveillance cameras, alarm systems, and additional security personnel. The recent deployment of five Bullet Resistant Guard-Booth vehicles to select custodial centres in Abuja, Kuje, Port Harcourt, Kano, and Lagos is a step in the right direction. However, security analysts advocate extending such measures to vulnerable facilities like Koton Karfe.
The NCS has ordered a comprehensive audit of the facility to identify and address security lapses. Transparency in the findings and accountability for any lapses will be crucial in restoring public confidence.
Additionally, state governments and private sector stakeholders have been urged to support prison upgrades to strengthen the overall security of correctional centres and, by extension, the safety of the larger community.
